Prince - Purple Rain

Stock Purchase - WPG (100 shares, $100 div income)

WP Glimcher Inc., (NYSE: WPG) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) with a portfolio of 119 shopping centers, including enclosed regional malls, open-air lifestyle centers and community centers. The company specializes in the ownership, management and development of retail shopping centers throughout the U.S.

Some of their biggest anchors and tenants include Macy's, Dillard's, J.C. Penney, Sears, Target, The Bon-Ton Stores, Kohl's, Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. and TJX.

The current retail sector is facing a glut of mall space nationwide (aka dead mall) and vacancy rate is a real issue. Online shopping has effectively replaced most of our past shopping in a physical store. J.C. Penny is in a multi-year business downtrend and conditions are not improving. Sears is liquidating and downsizing themselves just to survive. Therefore WP Glimcher is facing major challenges ahead and their stock price and revenues has reflected tremendous downward pressures these past few years. With dividend yield approaching 10%, this is definitely an investment with risks of default if the company fails to turn things around and navigate through the tough times ahead. I'm betting they will not just survive but slowly thrive and grow in the years to come. I'm crossing my fingers :))

This purchase will add $100/yr to the dividend income portfolio

Basic info: 

Market CAP: 1.98B        EPS: -$0.55     Dividend: $1.00 (9.62%)

Are you drinking too much ?

Stock Purchase - Pfizer (40 shares, $48 div income)

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) is a global biopharmaceutical company engaged in discovering, developing and manufacturing of healthcare products. Some well known products/brands from Pfizer include Atorvastatin (trade name Lipitor), Advil (ibuprofen) for pain and fever, Centrum (a multi-vitamin), ChapStick (a lip balm), Dimetapp for the common cold, Preparation H (a hemorrhoid cream), Robitussin (coughs and colds) and many others.

Illnesses and diseases are part of human lives worldwide and Pfizer has been in the business of treating and providing healthcare solutions for many decades. With dividend yield approaching 4%, I decided to add this income stock to my portfolio.

This purchase will add $48/yr to the dividend income portfolio

Basic info:

Market CAP: 186B   EPS: $1.11  Dividend: $1.20 (3.99%)

Stock Purchase - Diageo (12 shares, $31 div income)

Diageo plc (Diageo) (NYSE: DEO) is a global provider of beverage alcohol of various brands in spirits, beer and wine in over 30 countries. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray, Guinness, Crown Royal, Yeni Raki, JeB, Buchanan's, Bundaberg, Ypioca, Cacique, Windsor, Bell's, JeB, Grand Old Parr, Shui Jing Fang, Ciroc and Bulleit Bourbon, among others.

I seldom drink but I am very familiar with some of Diageo products => my now almost 90 yr father is a lifelong Guinness fan ! :) Alcohol is one class of consumer product that is unique and its demand is inelastic in a sense that it is a very branded centric business. I like the slow steady dividends this business generates and I'm a buyer at these levels and lower.

This purchase will add $31/yr to the dividend income portfolio

Basic info:

Market CAP: 67B   EPS: $5.55  Dividend: $2.60 (2.4%)

Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death (Nutrition.org)

Stock Purchase - B&G Foods Inc. (50 shares, $72 div income)

B&G Foods, Inc. (NYSE: BGS) manufacture, sell and distribute branded shelf-stable foods across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Among their well known brands are Static Guard and Kleen Guard.

BGS's business is easy to understand so I'm adopting the "Invest in what you know" - Peter Lynch  model of investing here. Their stock price has been steadily climbing while business has been growing together with recent dividends increases.  They have at least 5+ yrs of consistent dividend growth and hopefully this growing company will keep those returns coming for many more years to come.

This purchase will add $72/yr to the dividend income portfolio

Basic info:

Market CAP: 2B   EPS: $1.25  Dividend: $1.68 (4.3%)

Stock Buy - Royal Bank (25 shares, $56 div income)

With a strong US dollar today, I went shopping in Canada and I think I got a good deal, eh ?

Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE:RY) is the largest financial institution in Canada serving 18 million clients with 80,000+ employees worldwide.

Royal Bank operates in one of the safest banking system in the world. However it currently trades at a discount due to potentially outstanding loans exposed to the oil and gas sector especially in the province of Alberta. Eventually oil price will recover and the economy there will improve. In the meantime, I will wait patiently and collect that solid 4.8% dividend yield.

This purchase will add $56/yr to the dividend income portfolio

Basic info:

Market CAP: 72B   EPS: $4.60  Dividend: $2.24 (~4.80%)

Market Bottom