Dividend Growth Investor: Seven Dividend Aristocrats to buy on dips

The process of successful dividend investing is all about identifying outstanding companies, with wide moats and characterized by strong brand appeal. These companies should also be able to generate a rising stream of earnings and cashflow which would fund a growing dividend, that would create an income stream for investors that rises faster than inflation. Investors should be careful however only to select these dividend investments, which trade at reasonable valuations. One of the major reasons why US stocks have delivered almost no total returns over the past decade is because they were grossly overvalued in the late 1990’s and early 2000s. Even selecting an outstanding business like Coca-Cola (KO) one decade ago for investment would have led to low returns, because the stock was overvalued.

Back at the end of 2000, the stock was trading at $60.94, yielded 1.10% and had a P/E of 69 times earnings. As of this Friday Coca-Cola (KO) is trading at $62.92. If you add in dividends, the total returns add up to 31.60% over the past decade. Right now the company is attractively valued at a P/E of 19.40 and yielding 2.80%.

With the markets trading at their highest levels since September 2008, the pool of attractively valued dividend stocks is shrinking. Many investors are faced with the dilemma of whether to keep adding to undervalued positions which are overweight in their portfolios or simply to either remain in cash or purchase stocks that seem overpriced. As a result, it might not be a bad idea to further research stocks which are just a bit away from your entry criteria. I have highlighted seven dividend aristocrats, where I plan to add to my existing position on dips below the entry prices specified in the table:

Aflac Incorporated (AFL), through its subsidiary, American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus (Aflac), provides supplemental health and life insurance. The company derives almost 75% of its revenues from its operations in Japan, while the remaining 25% are generated in the US. In FY 2009 the company earned $3.19/share. For FY 2010 and FY 2011 it is expected to earn $5.55/share and $6.18/share. I would consider adding to my position in the stock on weakness below $48. (analysis)

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APD) offers atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, and equipment and services worldwide. For FY 2010 the company earned $4.74/share. For FY 2011 and FY 2012 it is expected to earn $5.65/share and $6.31/share. I would consider adding to my position in the stock on weakness below $78.40. (analysis)

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT), which is the largest retailer in North America, operates retail stores in various formats worldwide. In 2010 the company derived a quarter of its revenues from its international operations, which are expect to grow much faster than domestic sales. In FY 2010 the company earned $3.72/share. For FY 2011 and FY 2012 it is expected to earn $4.05/share and $4.45/share. I would consider adding to my position in the stock on weakness below $48.40. (analysis)

Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) engages in the exploration, production, transportation, and sale of crude oil and natural gas. It also involves in the manufacture, transportation, and sale of petroleum products. In FY 2009 the company earned $3.98/share. In FY 2010 and FY 2011 it is expected to earn $5.87/share and $6.46/share. I would consider adding to my position in the stock on weakness below $70.40. (analysis)

Emerson Electric Co. (EMR), a diversified global technology company, engages in designing and supplying product technology, as well as delivering engineering services and solutions to various industrial, commercial, and consumer markets worldwide. The company operates in five primary business segments: Process Management, Industrial Automation, Network Power, Climate Technologies, and Appliance and Tools. In FY 2010 the company earned $2.61/share. For FY 2011 and FY 2012 it is expected to earn $3.26/share and $3.78/share. I would consider adding to my position in the stock on weakness below $55.20. (analysis)

McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC) engages in the manufacture, marketing, and distribution of flavor products and other specialty food products to the food industry worldwide. It operates in two segments, Consumer and Industrial. The company derives almost 60% of its sales from the US. For FY 2009 the company earned $2.27/share. For FY 2010 and FY 2011 it is expected to earn $2.61/share and $2.81/share. I would consider adding to my position in the stock on weakness below $44.80. (analysis)

3M Company (MMM), together with its subsidiaries, operates as a diversified technology company worldwide. It operates in six segments: Industrial and Transportation; Health Care; Consumer and Office; Safety, Security and Protection Services; Display and Graphics; and Electro and Communications. In FY 2009 the company earned $2.27/share. Earnings per share are expected to increase to $5.73 in FY 2010 and $6.17 by FY 2011. I would consider adding to my position in the stock on weakness below $84. (analysis)

The above selections would be best described as great companies whose stock might have gotten a little ahead of itself. Other than that, all seven stocks are expected to generate increasing earnings over in the foreseeable future, which should assist them in raising dividends like clockwork. In order to avoid overpaying, dividend investors should only consider initiating or adding to their existing positions on any weakness.

Proper position entry at attractive valuations is just one of the items dividend investors should consider in order to ensure maximum chance of success in income investing. Proper portfolio diversification is another item that would ensure that a portfolio is not overcommitted to a certain sector or individual security. Investors should also avoid placing all of their bets at the same time, but should rather spread them over time. Last but not least, investors should try to selectively reinvest dividends in the best investment situations, rather than reinvest distributions blindly into the same overvalued stock for example.

Full Disclosure: Long all companies listed above

Relevant Articles:

- Strong Brands Grow Dividends

- Inflation Proof your income in retirement with Dividend Stocks

- Buy and hold dividend investing is not dead

- Dividend Portfolios – concentrate or diversify?

via dividendgrowthinvestor.com

This guy always has the best take on the market. Specifically as things relate to dividend bearing stocks. I am close to adding another position to the portfolio and it will probably be one of these stocks mentioned above.

10 Highest Paying Work-at-Home Careers

In a previous article, I discussed stay-at-home work opportunities that can help you could generate some extra cash. As a follow-up, here are 10 home-based possibilities that you could develop into full-fledged careers.

As such, some of these jobs may require additional schooling or accreditation, but the tuition or fees would be tax deductible and your initial investment in self-improvement would continue to pay dividends, in the form of income and lifestyle flexibility, for years to come.

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These positions are among the most feasible and popular in today's problematic economy. For the purposes of this article, I've spoken with career search counselors who've provided me with approximate annual salary ranges for each position.

Salaries will differ, based on your geographic region and your particular circumstances, but the ballpark estimates listed below roughly correspond with what you could expect, as far as gross income is concerned. Whether you negotiate a deal whereby your employer pays your payroll taxes, or whether you pay taxes as an independent contractor, is contingent on what you're able to negotiate.

10) Travel Agent
You don't have to work out of an office or be affiliated with an established travel agency to perform these functions yourself. You could set up your own web site and offer your services to individuals and companies as a travel arranger and booker of air and train travel, hotel rooms, package tours, and rental cars. The more clients you get, the greater discounts you'll be able to wrangle from airlines, hotels and rental car agencies, because of the volume of business that you provide to them. Annual Salary: $20,000-$30,000

9) Property Manager
You don't have to live on-site or own a property, to tackle the administrative responsibilities of a property manager, which is a fancy word for "landlord." Real estate management companies, apartment buildings, office parks, and condo complexes all need an administrator to keep the trains running on time. The filing, bookkeeping, phone calling, tax management, and all the other related functions are capably handled from a home office. If you possess good organizational and managerial skills, this one's worth considering. Annual Salary: $30,000-$40,000

8) Technical Writer
The position of technical writer is a perfect fit for someone with expertise in a certain area who has been laid off, wants a more leisurely pace or is semi-retired.  You'll need writing skills, of course, but if you market yourself as an expert in a certain niche, you can find publication or web site titles that cater to that niche. Your best bet is to get placed on the masthead as a permanent contributor, for a regular flat stipend, instead of getting paid by the word or story. This is a great work-at-home opportunity for, say, retired engineers or scientists with a facility for language. Annual Salary: $30,000-$40,000

7) Telemarketing and Telesales
Many companies are hungry to find articulate people willing to work the phones as a sales or marketing rep. They'll supply you with a list of contacts to phone and you'll methodically work your way down the list, persuading and pitching them to purchase products, services and advertising. If you're articulate with a winning personality and you like people, this job is for you. Annual Salary: $40,000-$50,000

6) Interpreter or Translator
American schools don't teach foreign languages as diligently as in previous generations. In fact, it seems that many native-born Americans can't even master English very well. That spells enormous opportunities for anyone who is bi-lingual. Whatever the language, companies, individuals and students are willing to pay an interpreter or translator big bucks for their services. Annual Salary: $40,000-$50,000

5) Graphic Designer
As the Internet continues to explode with growth and traffic, a multitude of new web sites, in every conceivable niche, are being born daily. Someone needs to design these sites. The skills of a graphic designer are especially coveted, when print publications transition to the web and go completely online.

Online newspapers and magazines need to be laid out in colorful, eye-catching, reader-friendly ways -- and these publications don't design themselves. If you don't have design skills and want a second career, consider attending the many affordable design schools that are springing up in communities everywhere. Annual Salary: $50,000-$60,000

4) Public Relations Professional
PR has become a "catch-all" profession, as a career segue for former journalists or industry veterans. It's common to find semi-retired or laid-off experts in a certain field become a communications and PR spokesman for a company that operates in their area of expertise. This is the sort of work that can be done at home: writing press releases, arranging and hosting teleconferences, setting up press events, reaching out to reporters, etc. Annual Salary: $50,000-$60,000

3) Financial Planner
A financial planner helps individuals, families and companies better plan their finances and investments. These advisers help their clients on such matters as higher education costs, cash flow management, retirement and insurance, estates, taxes, etc.

Problem here is that the term "financial planner" is rather amorphous; virtually anyone, whether qualified or not, can hang out their shingle and call themselves a financial planner. This fact has lead to many incidents of fraud and malpractice.

The most reputable financial planners, and accordingly those with the best chance of success, are Certified Financial Planners, an accreditation that is earned by successfully completing the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards' initial and continuing certification requirements. Annual Salary: $60,000-$70,000

2) Web-based Software Engineer
This is a person whose task is to design, develop, test, and evaluate the software and systems that enable computers to perform their applications. This job is one of the fastest-growing professions in the country -- and you can do it, from your home. Qualifications include a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in computer science. Annual Salary: $60,000-$70,000

1) Medical Claims Processing/Coding
Healthcare is a $2.4 trillion-a-year industry in the United States, accounting for 16% of the economy. Experts estimate that up to $600 billion of that figure is taken up with administrative work and claims processing. Astonishing figures, but sadly true.

This paperwork entails insurance and government forms, red tape, and "coding" for the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs. Doctors and hospitals must fill out reams of paperwork, to get reimbursed by insurance companies or Uncle Sam. One of the fastest-growing professions -- indeed, one that has proven to be recession proof -- is that of medical claims processor and/or "coder."

The Medicare and Medicaid programs insist that healthcare providers use a set of proscribed codes to get reimbursed. The formulas that are used to pay providers are complex and seem to change weekly, which creates an enormous need for assistants who can master those codes. Claims processors and coders have become the new "gatekeepers" for medical care and they can ply their trade from home. Many health associations provide training in this area; once you're certificated, physicians and hospitals will become deeply reliant on your skills. Annual Salary: $70,000-$80,000

via investinganswers.com

Very interesting reading, but I have to admit that I think some of these salary numbers are way out of whack. but all things considered, working at home looks to be a viable option.

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Here's another guy I want to keep track of.....

brooksseo: I will write 1 quality, seo optimized, totally unique, and original 450-500 word article on any topic. Samples are available, guaranteed to be high quality and pass copy scape. This is a top quality service for $5 at Fiverr.com

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I am gonna use this guy

Energy Savers: Thermostats and Control Systems

EERE » Energy Savers » Your Home

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• Apartments
• Appliances & Electronics
• Designing & Remodeling
• Electricity
• Energy Assessments
• Insulation & Air Sealing
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• Space Heating & Cooling
  • System Selection & Replacement
  • Cooling Systems
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  • Heat Pumps
  • Supporting Equipment
    • Thermostats & Controls
    • Ducts
    • Dehumidifying Heat Pipes
    • Meter Reading
• Water Heating
• Windows, Doors & Skylights

Thermostats and Control Systems

You can save around 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat back 10°–15° for eight hours. You can do this automatically without sacrificing comfort by installing an automatic setback or programmable thermostat.

A programmable thermostat offers a lot of flexibility in its temperature settings.

Using a programmable thermostat, you can adjust the times you turn on the heating or air-conditioning according to a pre-set schedule. As a result, you don't operate the equipment as much when you are asleep or when the house is not occupied.

Programmable thermostats can store and repeat multiple daily settings (six or more temperature settings a day) that you can manually override without affecting the rest of the daily or weekly program. When shopping for a programmable thermostat, be sure to look for the ENERGY STAR® label.

General Thermostat Operation

You can easily save energy in the winter by setting the thermostat to 68°F while you're awake and setting it lower while you're asleep or away from home. By turning your thermostat back 10°–15° for 8 hours, you can save about 5%–15% a year on your heating bill—a savings of as much as 1% for each degree if the setback period is eight hours long. The percentage of savings from setback is greater for buildings in milder climates than for those in more severe climates.

In the summer, you can follow the same strategy with central air conditioning, too, by keeping your house warmer than normal when you are away, and lowering the thermostat setting to 78°F (26°C) only when you are at home and need cooling. Although thermostats can be adjusted manually, programmable thermostats will avoid any discomfort by returning temperatures to normal as you wake or return home.

A common misconception associated with thermostats is that a furnace works harder than normal to warm the space back to a comfortable temperature after the thermostat has been set back, resulting in little or no savings. In fact, as soon as your house drops below its normal temperature, it will lose energy to the surrounding environment more slowly. The lower the interior temperature, the slower the heat loss. So the longer your house remains at the lower temperature, the more energy you save, because your house has lost less energy than it would have at the higher temperature. The same concept applies to raising your thermostat setting in the summer; a higher interior temperature will slow the flow of heat into your house, saving energy on air conditioning.

Limitations For Homes With Heat Pumps, Electric Resistance Heating, Steam Heat, And Radiant Floor Heating

Programmable thermostats are generally not recommended for heat pumps. In its cooling mode, a heat pump operates like an air conditioner, so turning up the thermostat (either manually or with a programmable thermostat) will save energy and money. But when a heat pump is in its heating mode, setting back its thermostat can cause the unit to operate inefficiently, thereby canceling out any savings achieved by lowering the temperature setting. Maintaining a moderate setting is the most cost-effective practice. Recently, however, some companies have begun selling specially designed programmable thermostats for heat pumps, which make setting back the thermostat cost effective. These thermostats typically use special algorithms to minimize the use of backup electric resistance heat systems.

Electric resistance systems, such as electric baseboard heating, require thermostats capable of directly controlling 120-volt or 240-volt circuits. Only a few companies manufacture line-voltage programmable thermostats.

For steam heating and radiant floor heating systems, the problem is their slow response time: both types of systems may have a response time of several hours. This leads some people to suggest that setback is inappropriate for these systems. However, some manufacturers now offer thermostats that track the performance of your heating system to determine when to turn it on in order to achieve comfortable temperatures at your programmed time.

Alternately, a normal programmable thermostat can be set to begin its cool down well before you leave or go to bed and return to its regular temperature two or three hours before you wake up or return home. This may require some guesswork at first, but with a little trial and error you can still save energy while maintaining a comfortable home.

Choosing and Programming a Programmable Thermostat

Most programmable thermostats are either digital, electromechanical, or some mixture of the two. Digital thermostats offer the most features in terms of multiple setback settings, overrides, and adjustments for daylight savings time, but may be difficult for some people to program. Electromechanical systems often involve pegs or sliding bars and are relatively simple to program.

When programming your thermostat, consider when you normally go to sleep and wake up. If you prefer to sleep at a cooler temperature during the winter, you might want to start the temperature setback a bit ahead of the time you actually go to bed; you probably won't notice the house cooling off as you prepare for bed. Also consider the schedules of everyone in the household; is there a time during the day when the house is unoccupied for four hours or more? If so, it makes sense to adjust the temperature during those periods.

Other Considerations

The location of your thermostat can affect its performance and efficiency. Read the manufacturer's installation instructions to prevent "ghost readings" or unnecessary furnace or air conditioner cycling. Place thermostats away from direct sunlight, drafts, doorways, skylights, and windows. Also make sure your thermostat is conveniently located for programming.

via energysavers.gov

Finally, a good explanation of how to use a programmable thermostat effectively.

Yahoo! Briefing Economic Calendar Terms

• Importance (A-F): This release merits an A.
• Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
• Release Time: First Friday of the month at 8:30 ET for the prior month
• Raw Data Available At: http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.toc.htm.

The employment report is actually two separate reports which are the results of two separate surveys. The household survey is a survey of roughly 60,000 households. This survey produces the unemployment rate. The establishment survey is a survey of 375,000 businesses. This survey produces the nonfarm payrolls, average workweek, and average hourly earnings figures, to name a few. Both surveys cover the payroll period which includes the 12th of each month.

The reports both measure employment levels, just from different angles. Due to the vastly different size of the survey samples (the establishment survey not only surveys more businesses, but each business employs many individuals), the measures of employment may differ markedly from month to month. The household survey is used only for the unemployment measure - the market focusses primarily on the more comprehensive establishment survey. Together, these two surveys make up the employment report, the most timely and broad indicator of economic activity released each month.

Total payrolls are broken down into sectors such as manufacturing, mining, construction, services, and government. The markets follows these components closely as indicators of the trends in sectors of the economy; the manufacturing sector is watched the most closely as it often leads the business cycle. The data also include breakdowns of hours worked, overtime, and average hourly earnings.

The average workweek (also known as hours worked) is important for two reasons. First, it is a critical determinant of such monthly indicators as industrial production and personal income. Second, it is considered a useful indicator of labor market conditions: a rising workweek early in the business cycle may be the first indication that employers are preparing to boost their payrolls, while late in the cycle a rising workweek may indicate that employers are having difficulty finding qualified applicants for open positions. Average earnings are closely followed as an indicator of potential inflation. Like the price of any good or service, the price of labor reacts to an overly accommodative monetary policy. If the price of labor is rising sharply, it may be an indication that too much money is chasing too few goods, or in this case employees.

More in-depth information is available from Briefing.com, including "live" intra-day market analysis of the U.S. stock and bond markets, technology stocks, economic releases, earnings reports, and day trading highlights.

via biz.yahoo.com

This is an important day for me, as I need these to come in a little soft in order to grab a 5% 30 year mortgage......here we go!

How to Clean The Bottom of Your Shower and Tub

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Here's an interesting way to clean up the old fiberglass shower pan.