Dividend Paying Companies I recently added to my income portfolio

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I am done purchasing dividend paying stocks for my portfolio until sometime in September. Well, I looked a closer look at the dip in prices we had, read a few articles that said that the bear market is beginning, and then decided to put more funds to work for me. This now means that I won’t be able to add funds to my dividend portfolio until October. If stock prices dip from here, but rebound by October, I would likely miss out on this opportunity. The only "savior" will be dividends in my tax-deferred accounts, which are automatically reinvested.

I added to my positions in the following companies:

Diageo plc (DEO) manufactures and distributes premium drinks. The company has managed to raise dividends for 15 years in a row. Over the past decade, the company has been able to increase dividends at a rate of 5.80%/year. Currently, this dividend achiever sells for 17.60 times forward earnings and yields 2.60%. I am trying to increase my position in this company, and would welcome further declines in this cheap spirits company. Check my analysis of Diageo.

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides information technology products and services worldwide. The company has managed to raise dividends for 19 years in a row. Over the past decade, the company has been able to increase dividends at a rate of 19.40%/year. Currently, this dividend achiever sells for 10.60 times forward earnings and yields 2.30%. Buffett is one of the largest shareholders in the company, which consistently repurchases stock, boosts dividends, and focuses on repositioning to higher margin businesses. Check my analysis of IBM.

Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) explores and produces for crude oil and natural gas. The company has managed to raise dividends for 32 years in a row. Over the past decade, the company has been able to increase dividends at a rate of 9.60%/year. Currently, this dividend champion sells for 12.70 times forward earnings and yields 2.80%. This is another Buffett investment, that regularly buys back shares, raises dividends, and has a good strategy for strategically allocating cash and focusing only on projects with high expected return on investment. Check my analysis of Exxon Mobil.

United Technologies Corporation (UTX) provides technology products and services to the building systems and aerospace industries worldwide. The company has managed to raise dividends for 20 years in a row. Over the past decade, the company has been able to increase dividends at a rate of 14.50%/year. Currently, this dividend achiever sells for 15.90 times forward earnings and yields 2.20%. Check my analysis of United Technologies.

Visa Inc. (V), a payments technology company, operates as a retail electronic payments network worldwide.  The company has managed to raise dividends for 6 years in a row. Visa has managed to almost quadruple its quarterly dividend from 10.50 cents/share in 2008 to 40 cents/share in 2014. Currently, this company sells for 20.80 times forward earnings for 2015 and yields 0.80%. I initiated a small position in Visa back in 2011. With the most recent investment from last week, I essentially doubled my position there, although it will likely be a small portion of my portfolio due to high valuation. Check my analysis of Visa.

I also looked at my portfolio, and I identified quite a few companies where I want to keep adding funds, in order to reach a certain dollar size. I have quite a lot of work ahead of me, and quite a lot of money to save, and invest. Given that a large portion of funds is going into tax-deferred accounts that mostly offer index funds, that would require me to re-think my savings, cut expenses, and try to increase income. As I mentioned in my April Fool’s day post a year ago, I have a shopping addiction. Luckily, this is the type of addiction that pays dividends, and does not leave me with a bunch of useless stuff that is sitting in my closet, my garage or in a storage box.

I have also been selling puts on companies I want to own, but I believe them to be overpriced today. Those include Disney (DIS), a wonderful company, which I believe to be a great long-term holding. Another includes Starbucks (SBUX), another wonderful business with great growth prospects, but very high valuation. I like the aspect of getting paid money upfront, in order to purchase shares in a company at a pre-determined price in the future. The price I am willing to pay is usually lower than today’s price. If you subtract the premium received from the options, that further reduces the cost of the shares. The nice part is that I get to use that premium today, and invest it accordingly.

Full Disclosure: Long DEO, UTX, XOM, IBM, V

Relevant Articles:

- Warren Buffett Investing Resource Page
- 14 Dividend Growth Stocks I Bought On the Dip Last Week
- How to Invest Like Warren Buffett
- Why Warren Buffett purchased Exxon Mobil stock?
- I bought this quality dividend paying stock last week