The rumors continue to swirl around some type of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ)–Vodafone Group Plc (ADR) (NASDAQ:VOD) deal, whether that takes the form of a buyout or perhaps just the purchase of Vodafone Group Plc (ADR) (NASDAQ:VOD)’s 45% stake of their joint wireless venture. We know Verizon has been trying to acquire this asset for the past couple of years, and negotiations have been at different levels of depth. With Verizon in serious need of income to pay its dividend, I think this deal will happen sooner rather than later. Hedge fund titan David Einhorn owns a stake in Vodafone Group Plc (ADR) (NASDAQ:VOD) and thinks it is cheap.
Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM) is developing a trio of products for its existing brands, including one product that heats tobacco instead of burning it, ostensibly a safer innovation. These products wouldn’t be on the shelves until 2016-2017, but the company is deciding now where to place the manufacturing facility. The move comes amid increased global scrutiny on smoking, even in traditionally tobacco-friendly places such as Russia.
Dividends and earnings announcements
Here is the recent news on earnings and dividends:
Dividend news:
Frontier went ex-dividend on March 6 and pays out $0.10 per share on March 28.
Brookfield Infrastructure went ex-dividend on Feb. 26 and pays out $0.43 per share on March 29.
Annaly Series C went ex-dividend on Feb. 27 and pays out almost $0.48 per share on April 1.
ROIC went ex-dividend on March 13 and pays out almost $0.15 per share on March 29.
All that, of course, means more money coming into our pockets.
It’s fun to sit back and get paid, and with the market volatility, we might have a good chance to reinvest those dividends at good prices. Europe continues to be an absolute mess, and continued bad news will likely have stocks plunging again, and if they do, I’ll be inclined to pick more shares up.
Foolish bottom line
I’ve been a fan of big dividends for a while, and I think this portfolio will outperform the market over time through the power of dividends. As I promised in the original article, I’ll continue to track and report on the portfolio’s progress, including news on these companies.
The article The World’s Best Dividend Portfolio originally appeared on Fool.com.
Jim Royal, Ph.D., owns shares of the 12 portfolio stocks mentioned in the table. The Motley Fool owns shares of Seaspan, Brookfield Infrastructure, ROIC, and Annaly. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of Vodafone, ROIC, National Grid, Brookfield Infrastructure, Exelon, Annaly, and Southern. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended creating a write covered straddle position in Exelon. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended creating a covered straddle position in Seaspan.
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