DIVIDEND REPORT :: SEPTEMBER 2022

For September 2022, the Divs4Jesus Portfolio received dividend income from twenty-seven different companies. (EVC, AVGO, SPG, TROW, AEG, LEA,RHI, FAF, NWL, TSN, PRU, SWKS, MET, VALE, CVX, EVR, SNA, WBA, AMGN, LYB, JNJ, HON, AFL, PSX, V, INTC. & F). The total was $1,763.13. This was a 286% increase from September of 2021 where the total was $456.68. The major difference year over year was that VALE paid out its massive dividend in September this year instead of October. As such, we will see a big drop year over year in October because of the change in pay dates. Looking towards the later quarter of the year we are now around $1,200.00 from last years total – its going to be very close to see if we can top 2021s numbers.

DIVIDEND REPORT :: MARCH 2022

First and foremost we are sorry for the late posts in getting March’s info uploaded, but better late than never. And speaking of better, for March 2022, the Divs4Jesus Portfolio received dividend income from twenty-six different companies (AFL, PSX, V INTC, F, AMGN, JNJ, SNA, CVX, EVR, PRU, HON, WBA, MET, RHI, FAF, LYB, NWL, TSN, SWKS, VALE, LEA, TROW, EVC, AVGO, & SPG). The total was $1,648.89. This was a 30% increase from March of 2021 where the total was $1,269.88. The increase was due to increased payments from twenty-three of the companies and new payouts from portfolio adds AMGN, CVX, and FAF. Plus resumed payments from F and SPG paying out in March this year instead of April like in 2021. Over $1,000.00 of this was from VALE who is still paying out large dividends thanks to high commodity prices.

DIVIDEND REPORT :: OCTOBER 2021

This massive month was all due to a huge payout from VALE. VALE alone paid out over $2,000.00 this month. This was a regular dividend payment from VALE but the large amount was due mostly to iron-ore prices more than doubling during the pandemic. The spot price has since fallen to more normal levels so we unfortunately don’t expect repeat cash outs like this but no complaints when they come in. Further, comparing with last October there was no new payers this month and actually one less payment as SPG paid out in September this year instead of October.

Last month we noted we crossed our goal of $4,000.00 for the year. One month later we’ve now crossed $6,000.00 for the year. With two months left we’re going to see if we can cross $7,000.00. If we can. the real challenge then will be trying to top it in 2022.

DIVIDEND REPORT :: JULY 2021

The increase was mostly due to (2) special dividend payments. One from TROW at $3.00/share and the other from VALE at $0.436/share. VALE has been crushing it this year and the CEO even suggested a possible special fourth (VALE typically pays bi-annually) dividend in December. We also saw payments from FL and AEG who this time last year had suspended their payments.

We had one new payment from CSCO, CIM paying out in July instead of August like last year, and increased payments from MO, LECO, GNTX, CMCSA, SPG, and MSM. This was all in spite of regular payments from AVGO, EVC, and TROW hitting in June this year instead of July as in 2020. As noted throughout our posts this year, we expect the year over year percentages to vary wildly from month to month as the pandemic threw off the typical months a bunch of our companies payout.

However, we know things are going well as we just passed our 2020 total dividends and there’s still FIVE months to go in 2021.

DIVIDEND REPORT :: MARCH 2021

For March 2021, the Divs4Jesus Portfolio received dividend income from twenty different companies (AFL, PSX, V, INTC, SWKS, JNJ, SNA, PRU, EVR, WBA, HON, RHI, NWL, MET, TSN, LYB, VALE, TROW, EVC, and AVGO). The total was $1,298.68. This was a 526% increase from March of 2021 where the total was $207.55.

This marks the first time the Portfolio has hit the four figures mark for any one month. It’s also more income than the Portfolio received in it’s first entire year just a short three years ago.

The heavy lifting was done this month by VALE who paid out $979.02 itself. Last year, due to COVID VALE paid out their March payment in August, however it was significantly less. The remainder of the March dividends came from new payments from AFL, INTC, JNJ, HON, & MET. Increased payments from V, SWKS, PSX, SNA, PRU, EVR, WBA, RHI, NWL, TSN, LYN, LEA, & TROW. EVC and AVGO also paid out in March this year instead of April like last year. And lastly, in spite of no payments from F, or SPG this March.

As noted prior, we except the year over year percentages to vary wildly from month to month as the pandemic threw off the typical months a bunch of our companies payout.

DIVIDEND REPORT :: AUGUST 2020

For August 2020, the Divs4Jesus Portfolio received dividend income from seven different companies (CIM, T, OHI, VALE, ABBV, AOS, TXN). The total was $425.27. This was a 483% increase from August of 2019 where the total was only $72.91. The difference was increased payments from T, TXN, AOS, ABBV, OHI. Further CIM paid out in August this year instead of July like in 2019. However, the largest part of the increase was from VALE who reinstated their dividend after suspending it back in early 2019 due to a dam collapse at one of their facilities. As VALE is our biggest paying company we’re happy to see regular dividends to start up again. Overall, this is a another great month in spite of everything going on in the world. We cautiously hope to continue the streak month over month to finish out the year strong.

One Year – Portfolio Review

One Year – Portfolio Review

As, some of my readers know, I didn’t start this blog until March of this year, but the thoughts for Divs4Jesus started back in September/October 2017. Officially, the first purchase for the Divs4Jesus Portfolio was made on November 6th 2017. I purchased 11 shares of OHI for $319.57.

My next purchase was the mining stock, VALE, in December. I went full tilt with the purchase, meaning it was a significant amount of money (approx. 10x my monthly deposit amount) and it all went in one spot. However, I had been tracking VALE for a while and liked what the company was doing to reduce debt and reorganize itself. Looking back now, a year later, it was a great bet. In fact, my best performer of the year at close to 30% return (dividends included).

Adding Diversification 

The goal of this account though is steady, growing income. Unfortunately, due to the cyclical nature of the mining business I can’t expect to rely on this higher beta stocks that will ebb and flow with the economy. As such, I’ve spent rest of the first year diversifying the portfolio. I’d like have at least 33 different stocks so my risk is more spread out. To accomplish this, I’ve made it a goal to purchase a different stock every month. So far, I’ve accomplished this. Doing so has brought VALE down from 99% of the portfolio to around 45%. Ultimately, I think I’d like my portfolio not to be weighted more than 10-15% in any one stock. So, there’s still a long way to go to get VALE down to those percentage amounts.

As for the other purchases I’ve made throughout the year, I have my own set of values I use to screen the stocks, but am flexible if I think there’s a good deal to be had in any one month. Typically, I look for undervalued stocks, with low or manageable debt levels, who pay a dividend with a low/safe payout ratio. I do take risks on turnaround stories, VALE is a good example, but I’d say GME and NWL are also bets on turnaround or buyouts. I won’t go through every stock I know in this post, but I hope to one day do a write up on the purchases explaining why I’ve decided to make the purchase I did. Maybe I’ll even go back and do a good write up on the stocks currently in my portfolio as well. Let me know if you readers would like to see that.

As noted above, I have my own rating system I use to influence my picks. However, I also use a number of online screeners as well to help pick my stocks. In the future, I will have a couple posts detailing my screening process. I also may one day show you my own rating system, but for now I want to test it myself and see how useful it is before I profess its value to you guys!

Charting my performance

Below is a chart that has tracked my progress since the beginning, Nov 6, 2017, through November 6, 2018. In general, I don’t really care day to day whether I’m up or down, but ultimately, my goal is to not only achieve quality dividend returns, it’s also to at least match the broader market indexes. Well preferably to beat them. I think if I can accomplish such a feat I’ d consider it ‘money well  invested.

So, as you can see from the chart below, since my first purchase I’ve had a positive unrealized return of 13.30% on my investments without taking into consideration dividend returns (only capital appreciation). The wild swings are mostly due to the high percentage of my portfolio which is invested in VALE. But I’ve slowly been diversifying away from such a high concentration, so over time hopefully the swings will be more muted. However, as we all know, the markets also been much more volatile than in the past few years, so only time will tell.

The steady climb in account value is due both to capital appreciation on the stocks as well as monthly capital contributions. Right now, I’ve averaged somewhere around $1,500.00 a month in contributions. Which typically go to the purchase of one new stock.

2.23x greater return than the S&P500 over 1 year

The one item that really stands out for me and gives me hope that I’m doing something right is that throughout my first year I’ve either beaten or stayed even percentage wise vs the S&P500. As of November 6, 2018, my total percentage return stands at 13.30% since inception (and that doesn’t include any dividend income!). The S&P500 over that same period has only returned 5.96%.  2.23x greater return than the S&P500. While I don’t expect to more than double the S&P 500 every year, I’m glad some of my bets paid off well in my first year. This provides a ton of motivation going forward.

I will do a separate post to analyze/summarize the dividends I’ve received after the end of the calendar year. I might also update this post so my YOY will be in sync with the calendar year as well.

Lastly, thanks to everyone whose stopped by and read my posts and commented with their thoughts. It’s much appreciated. I hope you’ve found some value in my posts. Cheers!

Musings at the Six Month Mark

Six Month – Portfolio Review

I didn’t start this blog until March of this year, but the thoughts for Divs4Jesus started back in September/October 2017. In November 2017 I decided to jump in and create a dividend portfolio that I was fully selected by me. My first purchase on November 6, 2017 was in OHI – I don’t fully remember how it got on my radar but I had a couple dollars laying around in the account (I had transferred all other assets out of my trading account just prior in anticipation of starting this portfolio, as to start with a clean slate) and decided to put whatever cash was there ‘to use’ while I figured out where and how I wanted to proceed.

It took me until the middle of December to actually fund the account and when I did I went full risk dumping 99% of the money into VALE. VALE is a mining company I’d been following for a while that I’d been cautious about entering into, but while doing so, missed out on it coming off record lows and doubling multiple times. Obviously, I still believe it has legs to move forward.

Since then I’ve tried to diversify my account. Having a high beta mining stock being 99% of my portfolio made it susceptible to wild swings in both directions. I wanted to settle that down a bit. As such, each month I’ve made it a goal to purchase a new stock (with new capital contributions to the account). My goal, as stated in the About section is to eventually get to around 33 quality stocks. Hopefully in accomplishing such, I’ll be able to balance my portfolio so that it’s not so heavily weighted/reliant on any one individual stock or section. So in short that’s a bit of history.

Going forward my hope is to not just document my purchases but to add my opinions and thought processes as to why I’m making such purchases in the first place. But before we look to the future of this blog lets take a look back at my performance over the first six months.

Charting my performance

Below is a chart that has tracked my progress since the beginning (Nov 6, 2017) through May 6, 2018. In general, I don’t really care day to day whether I’m up or down, but ultimately, my goal is to not only achieve quality dividend returns,  it’s also to at least match the broader market indexes. Well preferably to beat them. I think if I can accomplish such a feat I’ d consider it ‘money well spent invested.’

So as you can see from the chart below since my first ‘real’ purchase in mid-December 2017 I’ve had a positive unrealized return on my investment without taking into consideration dividend returns (only capital appreciation). The wild swings (up 20% to nearly brake even, 0%) is mostly due to the high percentage of my portfolio which is invested in VALE.  The steady climb in account value is due both to capital appreciation on the stocks as well as monthly capital contributions. Right now though growth in AV is more so because of the capital contributions, as I’m just starting out.

3.55x greater return than the S&P500 over 6 months

The one item that really stands out for me and gives me hope that I’m doing something right is that throughout the first six months I’ve either beaten or stayed even percentage wise vs the S&P500. As of May 6, 2018 my total percentage return stands at 9.62% since inception. The S&P500 over that same period has only returned 2.71%.  3.55x greater return than the S&P500. While I don’t expect this to be the norm and six months is a very short period of time, I’m happy with the results and hope to continue them through out the year.

6-Month vs SP500