What Could Investing Returns Buy You?

Now lets take a look at what those various investing returns could buy you, based on historic average annual return.

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From the early days of stock markets through the mid-20th century, dividends were the primary method of returning value to shareholders. Price appreciation was considered more of a bonus, as people bought stocks mainly because of their sizable dividends.

In more recent times, dividends have come back into vogue. For the past five years, dividend stocks have easily outpaced the price performance of non-dividend stocks.

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How Do I Collect a Dividend?

If you buy a dividend-paying stock and meet the eligibility requirements (determined by its dividend dates ), youll receive dividends. These dividend payouts are issued on a per-share basis. For example, if an investor purchases one share of stock XYZ, which pays 25 cents quarterly, the investor will receive 25 cents for each share he or she owns, four times per year.

Dividends are most commonly deposited into a shareholders brokerage account. However, if an investor buys shares directly from a company itself (through a direct investment plan like a DRIP. for example), then the dividends can be automatically reinvested to buy more shares. Investors may also choose to have dividend checks mailed to them.

What is Dividend Yield?

A stocks dividend yield refers to the expected return of a stock in dividends over the course of a calendar year. Yield is presented on a percentage basis of the stocks current price. For example, if stock XYZ is trading at $100 per share, and it pays a total of $5 in dividends this year, then its dividend yield is 5% (since $5 is 5% of $100).

Since a stocks price will change on a daily basis, so will its dividend yield. Dividend yield will move up or down inversely to the share price. So if a stocks price goes up, its yield goes down and vice versa.

Dividend Investing

Dividend investing is one of the most popular strategies for traditional, buy-and-hold investors. Typically dividend investing involves selecting companies which feature an attractive and sustainable dividend yield. This approach also puts value on consistency; for example, a company that has increased dividends for more than 10 or 25 consecutive years is regarded as a good dividend investment, as these stocks are more likely to continue to increase distributions.

In addition, dividend investors also focus on a number of fundamentals besides dividend yield and consistency. A stock’s valuation, performance history, and earnings growth should also be considered before any investment decisions are made. Other more subjective factors can also be used, such as a company’s current business environment, its future plans, and even industry or broader market trends.

Overall, dividend-focused portfolios can provide a significant source of income for all investors, whether in retirement or not. Additionally, this strategy can also feature compelling long-term returns, as typically dividend paying stocks are some of the most reliable and resilient companies on Wall Street.