Right now is one of the best times to invest in some of the most hated companies in U.S. history. And while they may be “hated,” they’re also some of the most successful. Their roots trace back to the corporate raiders of the 1980s. Tycoons such as Carl Icahn, Victor… Read More

Around the StreetAuthority office, we like to call them “Retirement Savings Stocks.” That’s because they can hand you a second income to supplement what you are already earning. And by… Read More

Around the StreetAuthority office, we like to call them “Retirement Savings Stocks.” That’s because they can hand you a second income to supplement what you are already earning. And by investing in companies like these, you put yourself above other investors when it comes to beating the market. Just consider this… From 1972 through 2011, U.S.-based dividend stocks in the S&P… Read More

Around the StreetAuthority office, we like to call them “Retirement Savings Stocks.” That’s because they can hand you a second income to supplement what you are already earning. And by investing in companies like these, you put yourself above other investors when it comes to beating the market. Just consider this… From 1972 through 2011, U.S.-based dividend stocks in the S&P 500 returned 7.1% annually, far exceeding the 1.5% return for nondividend payers. When picking stocks to add to my High-Yield Investing portfolio, these are some of the criteria I look at when evaluating an income investment: 1. Long track record of paying consistent and rising dividends 2. Matching history of improving earnings 3. Strong cash flow sufficient to pay dividends and then some 4. High projected growth that can lead to dividend increases 5. Zero or little debt, because debt-free companies have more… Read More

Most people thought it might never happen, much less happen in five short years. The housing sector is back in the United States. After going through its darkest hour, people are buying houses again and investors are making money from dividends and capital gains. Read More

They’re the creme de la creme of the income universe.  Each one has increased its dividend every year for at least two decades… some sport track records with more than 50 years of consecutive dividend increases. All told, these… Read More

They’re the creme de la creme of the income universe.  Each one has increased its dividend every year for at least two decades… some sport track records with more than 50 years of consecutive dividend increases. All told, these stocks are some of the most reliable dividend payers on the planet.  #-ad_banner-#I’m talking about the S&P 500 “Dividend Aristocrats” and their kissing cousins, the S&P “High-Yield Dividend Aristocrats.”  To become a member of these elite groups, a company must pay a regular… Read More

They’re the creme de la creme of the income universe.  Each one has increased its dividend every year for at least two decades… some sport track records with more than 50 years of consecutive dividend increases. All told, these stocks are some of the most reliable dividend payers on the planet.  #-ad_banner-#I’m talking about the S&P 500 “Dividend Aristocrats” and their kissing cousins, the S&P “High-Yield Dividend Aristocrats.”  To become a member of these elite groups, a company must pay a regular dividend, but it must also enjoy a stellar track record of growing that dividend every year for at least 20 years. With such stringent membership criteria, only about 70 U.S. companies make the grade. As you’d expect, a wide variety of industries are represented. You’ll find an overweighting of consumer staples such as Procter and Gamble (NYSE: PG) and Kimberley Clark (NYSE: KMB), and a healthy chunk of electrical utilities, such as Consolidated Edison (NYSE: ED) and Northwest Natural Gas (NYSE: NWN). But there’s one group that makes the list that you would probably… Read More

Looking for a bargain? No it’s not a bridge. It’s a carefully selected single-family home in Phoenix, or maybe even Atlanta, or another once hard-hit city in the United States. Not interested in the hassle of buying a foreclosed home, fixing it up, and… Read More

It’s one of the biggest questions facing income investors today: What does the “fiscal cliff” mean for dividend stocks? The term “fiscal cliff,” coined last year by Federal Reserve Chairmen Ben Bernanke,… Read More

Time is running out. Congress has 42 days to decide what they’re going to do about the “Bush Era” Tax cuts. If they don’t act by December 31st, income taxes will rise across the board. Long-term capital gains could also increase. If… Read More

December 31st, 2012… It’s a date that every income investor in America is surely aware of. On that day, the “Bush” era tax cuts are set to expire. If Congress doesn’t intervene, dividends will be taxed as… Read More