Recent Buys for My Dividend Portfolio (ASR, IWDA, BIPC, MPWR)

As part of my ongoing strategy to build a strong and growing dividend portfolio, I’ve made some recent additions that I believe will contribute to long-term wealth accumulation. Here’s a quick breakdown of my latest buys:

• ASR Nederland (ASRNL): ASRNL is a solid Dutch insurance company with a strong track record of dividend payments. With its recent acquisition of Aegon’s Dutch operations, the company has positioned itself for further growth. I see ASRNL as a stable income-generating asset with an attractive yield. I bought 40 shares for about € 49 per share, resulting in an annual dividend of € 125.
• iShares Core MSCI World (IWDA): While not a direct dividend play, IWDA provides global diversification and exposure to high-quality companies worldwide. This ETF adds stability and growth potential to my portfolio, complementing my dividend-focused investments.
• Brookfield Infrastructure Corp (BIPC): BIPC operates in essential infrastructure sectors like utilities, transport, and energy. The company has a strong dividend history, and I expect steady income growth over the long term. Infrastructure is a defensive sector that performs well in different market conditions, making BIPC a great addition. I bought shares last year as well. With my recent addition of 40 shares after the share price drop of last week, I added $70 in dividend income.
• Monolithic Power Systems (MPWR): MPWR is a high-growth semiconductor company with increasing dividend payments. While its yield is relatively low, its strong capital appreciation potential and consistent dividend growth make it an exciting long-term hold. It's a more risky play but I wanted to increase my tech holdings a bit. These two shares will only deliver $12 in forword annual dividend income. 

With these additions, my portfolio continues to balance income generation and long-term growth. I’m excited to see how these investments perform in the coming years. Let me know what you think—are you adding any of these stocks to your portfolio?

Monthly update: February 2025

As February comes to a close, it's time to review how the global markets performed, analyze the biggest winners and losers in my portfolio, and assess my monthly dividend income growth compared to the previous year. Let’s dive into the details.

Global Market Performance in February 2025

The financial markets experienced mixed movements throughout February, with some indices posting gains while others showed slight declines:

• AEXGR: Gained +1.4%, reflecting a modest rise in Dutch stocks.
• SX5E (Euro Stoxx 50): Strong +4.9% increase, indicating a solid month for major European stocks.
• IWDA (Global Equity Index ETF): Slight -0.6% decline, showing global markets faced some pressure.
• DJITR (Dow Jones Industrial Total Return Index): Fell by -2.5%, suggesting weakness in large-cap U.S. industrials.
• S&P 500: Declined by -2.2%, reflecting some turbulence in the broader U.S. stock market.

The Euro Stoxx 50 led the way with a nearly 5% surge, while the U.S. markets struggled. A weaker dollar and concerns about economic data may have contributed to the declines in American indices.

Top 3 Gainers in My Portfolio

Despite market volatility, some stocks in my portfolio performed exceptionally well:

• MPW (Medical Properties Trust): +23%. A strong rebound in healthcare REITs contributed to MPW’s impressive performance this month.
• PM (Philip Morris International): +19%. Solid earnings and resilient dividend growth helped drive PM’s stock price higher.
• KO (Coca-Cola): +12%. Continued strength in consumer staples amid market uncertainty kept KO on an upward trajectory.

Top 3 Losers in My Portfolio

On the flip side, a few stocks struggled in February:

• MRK (Merck & Co.): -8%. Weak guidance for the upcoming quarter led to a decline in the stock price.
• APD (Air Products & Chemicals): -6%. Concerns over industrial gas demand and macroeconomic factors weighed on the stock.
• ASML (ASML Holding): -4%. Some profit-taking and semiconductor sector headwinds resulted in a slight decline.

Winners vs. Losers Ratio

With nearly four times as many winners as losers, my portfolio showed strong resilience despite broader market fluctuations.

Dividend Income Growth – February 2025 vs. February 2024

Comparing this February’s dividend income to last year:

• Total dividend income at constant FX: €230, up 4.6% YoY
• Total dividend income after FX effects: €239, up 8.2% YoY
• After-tax income: €203, reflecting 8.0% growth

My dividend income continues to show healthy year-over-year growth, reinforcing the benefits of my dividend growth investing strategy. The most important factor in my dividend growth is Deere. Last year I bought two extra shares but the company also raised its dividend by over 10%.

Final Thoughts

Despite some headwinds in the U.S. markets, my portfolio performed well in February. The high ratio of winners to losers highlights the importance of diversification, and my dividend income growth remains steady. As Warren Buffett once said:

“If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.”

Dividend investing continues to be my path to financial independence, and I look forward to seeing how the rest of the year unfolds. How did your portfolio perform in February? Let me know in the comments!

Monthly report: January 2025

As we step into 2025, it's time to review my monthly dividend income for January and assess how my portfolio performed over the past month. January turned out to be a strong month for the global markets, with positive momentum across major indices. Here’s a detailed breakdown of market performance, portfolio changes, and how my dividend income compared to the same period last year.

Global Market Performance in January 2025

January was an impressive month for the stock market, with major indices posting solid gains:

• AEXGR: Increased from €3,480 to €3,605 (+3.6%)
• SX5E (Euro Stoxx 50): Jumped from €4,918 to €5,282 (+7.4%)
• IWDA (Global Equity ETF): Increased from €105 to €107 (+1.7%)
• DJITR (Dow Jones Total Return Index): Rose from $106,133 to $112,454 (+6.0%)
• S&P 500: Climbed from $5,869 to $6,071 (+3.5%)

The strong performance was driven by resilient earnings, cooling inflation, and renewed investor confidence in economic stability. The Euro Stoxx 50 had the most notable increase, rising by 7.4%, indicating strength in European equities. The Dow Jones Total Return Index also had a significant 6.0% increase, reflecting strong market participation across sectors.

Top 3 Gainers and Losers in My Portfolio

Top 3 Gainers:

• APD (+18%) – Strong earnings and positive industry outlook drove this stock higher.
• MPW (+17%) – A rebound in healthcare REITs contributed to this significant gain.
• DE (+14%) – Continued demand for agricultural and construction equipment boosted the stock price.

Top 3 Losers:

• BEPC: -5% – Weak renewable energy sector performance impacted this stock.
• OHI (Omega Healthcare): -2%. Faced pressure from higher operating costs in the healthcare sector.
• TXN (Texas Instruments): -1%. A ,inor decline, likely a result of cautious semiconductor sector outlooks.

Overall, my portfolio had a strong month, with more stocks gaining than losing:

• 27 winners with an average increase of 6.1%
• 7 losers with an average decline of -1.6%

Winners/losers ratio: 3.9

This positive ratio indicates broad-based strength in my holdings, reinforcing my long-term investment strategy.

Dividend Income Comparison

One of the most exciting parts of dividend investing is watching income grow over time. Here’s how my January 2025 dividend income compared to the same period last year:

The YoY growth of 37% in after-tax dividend income is a fantastic milestone, showcasing the power of reinvestment, dividend increases, and portfolio expansion. The most important contributors to this success are:

• Increased dividend payment from Brink, my employer.
• Increased dividend payments from my US-holdings like HASI, MRK, O, CSCO and WMT.
• Purchase of ADP back in June 2024.
• I also sold my position in BAX back in March 2024 and suffered a dividend cut from MPW.  

Final Thoughts

January 2025 was a great start to the year, with strong market performance and impressive dividend growth. This reinforces my commitment to a long-term, dividend-focused investment strategy. To wrap up, here’s a quote from Warren Buffett that perfectly captures the essence of dividend investing:

“If you don’t find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.”

I look forward to seeing how the rest of 2025 unfolds and hope to continue building a reliable and growing income stream. How did your dividends perform this month? Let me know in the comments!

Monthly report: Dividend 2024

December has come to a close, and as I reflect on the past month, I’m struck by how the global markets performed and how these shifts impacted my dividend portfolio. Let’s dive into the highlights for December 2024.

Global Market Overview for December 2024

December saw mixed movements across global indices, reflecting a somewhat turbulent month in financial markets. Here’s how the major indices performed:

• AEXGR: Dropped slightly by -1.8%, closing at €3,419.
• SX5E: Managed a modest gain of +0.5%, ending the month at €4,869.
• IWDA: Declined by -1.7%, finishing at €104.
• DJITR: Experienced the largest drop of -4.9%, closing at $106,587.
• S&P 500: Fell by -2.3%, settling at $5,907.

The global markets reflected caution among investors, with most indices posting declines. This downturn highlights the volatility in markets as the year wrapped up.

Portfolio Highlights: Top Gainers and Losers

While the broader markets faced challenges, individual stocks in my portfolio had varying performances. Here are the top three gainers and losers for December:

Top 3 Gainers
I only have 2 stocks in my portfolio with an increasing stock price during the last month. That kinda tells what a month it has been.

• ASML: Rose by +2%, continuing to showcase resilience as a leader in the semiconductor space.
• BLK (BlackRock): Held steady with 0% change, a testament to its stability despite market fluctuations.

Top 3 Losers
I have 31 losing stocks with an average loss of about 6%. It hasn't been a good month in terms of price appreciation. The biggest losers are:

• HASI: Dropped by -14%, reflecting challenges in the clean energy sector (mainly uncertainties regarding policies from Trump?)
• APD (Air Products and Chemicals): Fell by -14%, likely impacted by macroeconomic pressures.
• BEPC (Brookfield Renewable): Declined by -13%, facing headwinds in the renewable energy space (mainly uncertainties regarding policies from Trump?).

While the losses were notable, it’s essential to remember that these fluctuations are part of the journey as a dividend growth investor. Over time, the compounding effect of dividends smooths out these bumps.

December 2024 Dividend Income: A Year-Over-Year Comparison

Now, let’s talk about the core of my strategy—dividend income. December is traditionally a strong month for dividends, and this year did not disappoint. Here's a comparison of December 2023 and December 2024:

In december 2024 my dividend income jumped to €441, a +25% year-over-year increase! This significant growth was fueled by a combination of factors:

• Dividend increases from core holdings such as AFL (+19%),  V (+13%), CMI (+8%) and KO (+5%).
• Increased position in JNJ with a purchase back in January last year,
• New positions in BEPC, BIPC and CNI.
• I also sold my positions in IBM and INTC.  

The compounding nature of dividend reinvestments continues to be a driving force behind this growth, and December’s performance is a clear testament to the power of this strategy.

Cumulatieve dividend income

Last year I received almost € 11.200 in dividend income. This is almost € 2.400 more than last year, a whopping 27% extra! We'll have to see what next year brings. I don't expect this type of growth to continue. For next year I expect an increase of about 10% in my dividend income.

Final Thoughts

As I close the chapter on 2024, I’m reminded of a timeless quote from Sir John Templeton:

“If you want to have a better performance than the crowd, you must do things differently from the crowd.”

Dividend investing might not always grab headlines, but its steady, compounding nature provides a reliable path to financial freedom. By focusing on quality companies and embracing a long-term mindset, I’m building a portfolio that not only weathers market storms but thrives over time.

Here’s to a prosperous 2025, filled with more dividends, growth, and opportunities!