The stocks listed below are considered core holdings of our portfolio and offer an average yield of 3.5%, well above that of the average dividend aristocrat at only 2.5%. For every $1,000 invested in this portfolio you can expect $35 per year in cash dividends, if you reinvest this income you can let time do the rest. This is the foundation of dividend growth investing, purchasing strong companies that increase dividends over time, and holding on to them.
While other portfolios offer higher returns this often comes with higher risk. This is why we selected stocks with solid safety scores and we also considered M* ratings as part of our criteria. We want to ensure dividend safety at all costs, as the four principles of dividend investing show, dividend cuts can bring a lot of capital loss, which will impair your nest egg.
The companies in this list are well known with strong brands and large moats, but this does not necessarily mean they will strong dividend growth over the next decade. We like these stocks right now for the strong and stable dividends they provide, but need to keep an eye for changing dynamics. Over-time we will be adding additional stocks to the portfolio, not all of which will be so recognizable, so be sure to subscribe for future additions and removals from the dividend income portfolio.
| Company | Ticker | Dividend Per Share | Yield | M* Rating | Safety Score |
| Apple | AAPL | $2.28 | 2.1% | 4 | 92 (read more) |
| Ford | F | $0.60 | 5.3% | 4 | 71 (read more) |
| Intel | INTC | $1.04 | 3.1% | 3 | 86 (read more) |
| Cisco | CSCO | $1.04 | 3.4% | 2 | 88 (read more) |
| IBM | IBM | $5.60 | 3.7% | 3 | 73 (read more) |
| Exxon Mobil | XOM | $3.00 | 3.6% | 2 | 60 (read more) |
| Johnson & Johnson | JNJ | $3.20 | 2.8% | 3 | 78 (read more) |
| Verizon | VZ | $2.31 | 4.9% | 3 | 69 (read more) |
| Gilead Sciences | GILD | $1.88 | 2.6% | 5 | 92 (read more) |
| Procter & Gamble | PG | $2.68 | 3.1% | 4 | 68 (read more) |