INCOME RESEARCH / US EQUITIES

Dividend quality, at a glance.Rubber duck mascot

Companies yielding 4%+, growing the dividend, and clearing a stability screen.

DATA MODE iThe interface is fully interactive, but the stock figures are a curated demo snapshot, not a live quote feed.Illustrative snapshotConnect a live feed before trading
Qualified names iNames left after every active yield, dividend-growth, coverage and stability filter.8/ 54 screened
↑ 3 above base screen
Median yield iThe middle annualized dividend yield among the currently visible stocks, not the average.6.1%
Minimum set to 4.0%
Avg. growth streak iAverage number of consecutive years without a dividend cut among the visible names.32years
No cuts in the streak
Positive ownership tilt iA directional tie-breaker using open-market insider activity and changes reported by institutional managers. It is not a real-time buy signal.6names
Form 4 + 13F direction
SAFETY MAP

Yield vs. dividend safety iStocks toward the upper-right pair a higher starting yield with stronger payout coverage and balance-sheet quality.

Preferred zone
High income
High safety
Higher yieldStronger safety →
QUALITY FUNNEL

How the list gets smaller iEach stage applies another minimum rule. Ownership activity is considered only after the fundamental screen.

  1. 54
    Yield ≥ 4%Starting universe
  2. 31
    Dividend is growing5-year trend + streak
  3. 18
    Coverage is soundEarnings + free cash flow
  4. 8
    Fundamentals are stableLeverage + variability
+Ownership is a tie-breaker. It is not a reason to ignore weak fundamentals.
QUALIFIED SHORTLIST

8 stocks clear your rules

CompanyYield iAnnualized dividend divided by share price. Higher is not automatically safer.Dividend trend iThe six bars show recent dividend-per-share direction. Growth is the five-year annualized rate; streak counts consecutive growth years.Payout iShare of earnings paid as dividends. REITs are evaluated using adjusted funds from operations (AFFO), which is more appropriate for their business model.Typical tax iA general U.S. federal tax indicator, not a guarantee. Corporate dividends may qualify for lower rates when IRS requirements are met. REIT distributions can include ordinary income, capital gain, return of capital, or qualified amounts. Always use the year-end 1099-DIV.Stability iA blended view of leverage, interest coverage, earnings variability and business cyclicality.Ownership flow iINS summarizes open-market insider buys minus sells. 13F summarizes increases minus decreases across tracked institutional filings. Both are delayed.DD score iDividend Desk score out of 100: 35% safety, 25% stability, 25% income quality, and 15% valuation plus ownership.
MO
MOAltria Group
6.8%annualized
+4.1%56y streak
77%earningsUsually qualifiedHolding-period rules applyHigh2.1× leverage
INS +213F +4
91
VZ
VZVerizon
6.3%annualized
+1.9%19y streak
58%earningsUsually qualifiedHolding-period rules applyHigh2.6× leverage
INS +113F +2
87
O
ORealty Income
5.4%annualized
+3.2%31y streak
75%AFFOREIT / mixedOften ordinary; check 1099-DIVHigh5.3× leverage
INS 013F +3
86
TR
TROWT. Rowe Price
4.7%annualized
+4.5%39y streak
62%earningsUsually qualifiedHolding-period rules applyHigh0.1× leverage
INS +113F -1
84
XO
XOMExxon Mobil
4.1%annualized
+3.7%42y streak
49%earningsUsually qualifiedHolding-period rules applyGood0.8× leverage
INS 013F +2
82
CV
CVXChevron
4.4%annualized
+5.4%38y streak
55%earningsUsually qualifiedHolding-period rules applyGood0.9× leverage
INS -113F +1
80
UP
UPSUnited Parcel Service
6.1%annualized
+2.2%16y streak
86%earningsUsually qualifiedHolding-period rules applyGood2.7× leverage
INS +213F +1
78
PF
PFEPfizer
6.6%annualized
+2.5%15y streak
79%earningsUsually qualifiedHolding-period rules applyGood3.8× leverage
INS +313F +2
77
Figures and tax labels are illustrative. Verify market data and use the year-end 1099-DIV for actual U.S. tax treatment.
Papa's rubber duck keeping watch
DUCK'S WATCH

Dividend risers approaching 3.5%

Planning scenarioAssumes the share price stays flat and recent dividend growth continues.iThis estimates future yield on today's cost, not the stock's future market yield. Prices, dividend decisions, taxes, and growth rates can change.
NE
NEENextEra Energy
Good
Today3.1%
Year 13.4%
Year 23.7%
9.5% growth pace31 years of increasesUsually qualified tax label

Strong historical growth, but utility leverage and capital spending still need review.

Company dividend history ↗
PE
PEPPepsiCo
High
Today3.3%
Year 13.5%
Year 23.7%
6.4% growth pace54 years of increasesUsually qualified tax label

A long growth record can lift yield on cost if earnings and cash coverage keep pace.

Company dividend history ↗
DU
DUKDuke Energy
Good
Today3.4%
Year 13.5%
Year 23.6%
2.5% growth pace20 years of increasesUsually qualified tax label

Close to the target already, with slower growth and meaningful interest-rate sensitivity.

Company dividend history ↗
JN
JNJJohnson & Johnson
High
Today3.2%
Year 13.4%
Year 23.5%
4.7% growth pace64 years of increasesUsually qualified tax label

A durable increase streak, with product and litigation risks still worth monitoring.

Company dividend history ↗
Papa's pond rule:Growth only counts when earnings, free cash flow, and the balance sheet can support it. Recheck every figure before investing.
WHAT ELSE MATTERS?

Four checks before the buy button.

01Coverage over yield

Free-cash-flow coverage can reveal a fragile payout before the headline yield does.

02Value vs. history

Compare valuation to the company's own cycle, not just to the market.

03Debt maturity wall

Refinancing needs can matter more than a simple debt ratio when rates are high.

04Portfolio fit

Cap sector exposure so one macro shock cannot cut several income streams at once.