With the market remaining strong, this seemed a good month to sit back and take measure. I was fortunate in this period to get some positive news on the note of dividend increases. These always come as positive developments and are the secret sauce to the dividend growth investing strategy. Organic dividend increases are the ultimate passive way to increase one’s income without lifting a finger.
Table of Contents
CAD Dividends
| Company | CAD Payments ($) | Div Increase (%) |
|---|---|---|
| RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust (RIOCF) | 31.32 | |
| Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) | 68.36 | |
| The Jean Coutu Group (PJC.A) | 42.15 | |
| Corby Spirit and Wine Ltd. (CSW.B) | 38.50 | |
| Fortis, Inc. (FTS) | 46.75 | |
| Canadian Utilities Limited (CU) | 53.10 | 10.01 |
| Canadian National Railway Company (CNR) | 6.83 | 10.30 |
| Hydro One Ltd (H) | 33.00 | |
| Chartwell Retirement Residences (CSH.UN) | 4.90 |
USD Dividends
| Company | USD Payments ($) | Div Increase (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Waste Management, Inc. (WM) | 19.77 | 9.41 |
| McDonald’s Corporation (MCD) | 18.03 | |
| YUM! Brands, Inc. (YUM) | 11.94 | 20.00 |
| Yum China Holdings, Inc. (YUMC) | 3.32 | |
| Visa Inc. (V) | 1.79 | 7.69 |
Dividend Summary
The month of April has generated $324.91 CAD and $54.85 USD. This is an overall record to date for monthly dividends.
Tracking dividends monthly has been interesting in terms of seeing how various industries tend to provide their payouts around the same time. My three utility companies each made payments in March, along with my restaurant sector businesses.
The standout dividend increase this month was the 20.00% from YUM which signals that the company wants to get back to truly rewarding shareholders following the spinoff of YUMC back in late 2016. Dividends had been reduced at that time to account for the decrease in shares owned, but now we’re getting back into the swing of things as the CEO had spoken previously about how it loves to provide legacy returns of +10% over time.
Truly, however, with the smallest dividend increase being the 7.69% from V which had already bumped its payout by 18.18% in the previous quarter, I have to say that this month’s raises absolutely demonstrate the staying power of the dividend growth investing strategy. With inflation being one of the greatest threats to investors and retirees alike, everything this month suggests that one would be well insulated from losses in purchasing power. This is what comforts me moving forward as I continue to build on this plan.
Market Activity
The markets have been rather lukewarm of late and so I have been in a cash accumulation phase. Sometimes the best strategy is to sit back and be patient. It all comes back to picking one’s spots to find an attractive, growing yield, at a fair valuation.
It doesn’t shock me that Warren Buffett continues to build his coffers as well. Investing in an overpriced market can lead to poor returns and so one must be careful.
Conclusion
I am satisfied with the dividend output I received this month. All of it now sits as pent up energy awaiting deployment.
As we conclude the first quarter of the year, I have to say it has been a worthwhile exercise to track my progress monthly. It has given me the opportunity to become more in tune with my holdings.
Thank you for reading.
Full Disclosure: REI.UN, JNJ, PJC.A, CSW.B, FTS, CU, CNR, H, CSH.UN, WM, MCD, YUM, YUMC, V
Pictures courtesy of pixabay.com
