Mergent's Dividend Achievers

[flipstress]

To unclemick and others who use “Mergent’s Dividend Achievers”:

How much do the listings change from quarter to quarter?

I’d like to buy a copy of the book, but I don’t want to buy one every quarter. (I don’t have that much to invest to justify the $165 - $180 yearly cost.)

I did find out that the university library keeps copies in the reference collection, so I think I’ll go ahead and buy the current issue to get familiar with the format and then just go to the libe each time a new issue comes out.

Even if I’ve got that sorted out, I still would appreciate your observations. Thanks in advance.

 

[haha]

I use it, but only buy it annually. For me, it is useful but no bible. You really want to look beyond the record, and try to see if the business and market realities may have any surprises in store.

It is a good tickle file, to give you names of companies that will raise dividends when they can and operate what are usually fairly stable cash generating businesses .

ha

 

[unclemick]

Depending on your - er ah hormone level - speculative spirit - I have played(putz money only) with some old Mergent's stocks that have fallen on hard times - deleted  from the list - and look like a come back candidates - Aetna and New Plan Excel to name successful ones.

I wouldn't buy more than one issue per yr or even every other year. Old library issues are even better.

Dividends are popular now - hence Mergent's along with Wall Street are feeding the ducks.

I'm struggling for a lot of good ideas right now. I've been reading some of Brewer's posts and may look outside the box a little - or just buy Buffett's BUD for a short 7-10 yr trade.

At 45 bucks a copy may switch to every other year for Mergent's.

P.S. - I don't sell when a stock falls off the list - if they still look doggy after 7-10 yrs - then maybe - depending on taxes and how the dividends hold up.

 

[brewer12345]

uncle, I was thinking about BUD, but I don't care for some of the accounting games they play. I have not looked in a while, but the one that stood out the most egregiously was that they owned 50+% of Grupo Modelo and control basically all of that company's US distribution (can't remember if they have Mexican distribution rights too), and have several board seats, yet they don't consolidate Modelo in their results because they claim they don't have effective control over the business. If they did consolidate Modelo, the combined company would have far less impressive numbers. Its similar to all the games Coke has played with its treatment of the botttling companies over the years.

I'm sure BUD is a fine company and they are certainly the dominant player in the industry, but this sort of thing bothers me. That's why I tend toward smaller companies: they are a lot easier to figure out and make sure mgmt isn't playing games.

 

[unclemick]

Good for you - Brewer.

I - for the life of me - do not understand either Coke or Anhaeuser Busch - or why they did or might do well - just piggy backing Buffett.

With your background - keep the smaller co picks coming - I enjoy your posts.

I literally employ a quasi dart throwers method - pick ones from Mergent's middle of the list in different industries - middle in div/div growth - DCA via DRIPs 7-10 yrs and then keep or sell.

I don't care about management/industry/prospects/etc - just that they have been doing business for a while and have acceptible div/div growth numbers. Needless to say - I get hammered by long cycles or those that take a couple decades to die - in defiance of RTM - and dogs that get mergered/bought.

With the popularity of dividends/low interest - albiet now rising - cogitating other ponds to fish in - less current div more div growth and perhaps some of your - out of the way - small cap ideas - like STON.

Haven't gelled yet - haven't taken early SS yet - still thinking.

May put it off till winter - depending on how football season goes. I want to avoid the trap of chasing high yield - only to get hammered when competition with rising interest rates puts a damper on the usual suspects - REITs, Utilities, Banks, ?

 

[maddythebeagle]

I am starting a drip with Bud, but I am also kinda lukewarm on it. Several folks are interested in a share so I am leading a purchase group for it otherwise, I might have passed. I understand your points on the accounting, but am not concerned that this is another Enron. I think that for a lot of these companies, the long-term growth is overseas and am expecting a moderate return and mainly looking for dividend growth with lower risk. I like to hit a lot of singles.

 

[HFWR]

Bought a 12-pack of Bud recently...

I currently own only three individual co. stocks: TXN, FRO, and ACAS, and only small positions in each. TXN bought through ESOP, and ACAS and FRO with hormone money for the nice divvies.

It gives me a headache to try to out-guess the market...........so I just BUY it all!

Hahahahahahahahahah (Hehehehehehehehehe??)

 

[maddythebeagle]

Bought a 12-pack of Bud recently...

Thanks for supporting the economy. I hope you dont take your cane out after drinking?

 

[wildcat]

Flip -

If you want a quick summary of the index you can always look @ the Powershares High Div Achievers ETF - PEY. It is based on the Mergent's Index and it can give you fast/easy reference.

http://www.powershares.com/peyholdings.asp

 

[Searcher7]

For those of you interested in Mergent's Dividend Achievers, you may wish to take a look at BlackRock Strategic Dividend Achievers Trust http://www.etfconnect.com/select/fundPages/us.asp?MFID=128288.

It is a closed-end fund trading at a discount over ten percent with a yield of over six percent. I believe it is unleveraged and has an expenses ratio of just under one percent.

 

[wabmester]

For those of you interested in Mergent's Dividend Achievers, you may wish to take a look at BlackRock Strategic Dividend Achievers Trust http://www.etfconnect.com/select/fundPages/us.asp?MFID=128288.

It is a closed-end fund trading at a discount over ten percent with a yield of over six percent. I believe it is unleveraged and has an expenses ratio of just under one percent.

That looks pretty good to me. Well, except for the 1% ER. But with the 10% discount, you can afford to eat those fees for a few years.

 

[mikew]

Greetings
BlackRock Strategic Dividend Achievers BDT is taken from the small and midsized companies in mergent.

Blackrock Dividend Achievers BDV is taken from the whole thing.

There are Reits mixed in so there are taxes to think about.

Also Blackrock is aiming to provide 6% from yield and capital gains every year. If they don't have enough, they will return priniple to return the 6%.

Mike

 

[wildcat]

http://early-retirement.org/forums/index.php?topic=3284.0

Damn nobody reads my posts

 

[mikew]

Read Absorbed Regurgitated

Mike