Don’t let this inflation panic rattle you. This market is really just shifting gears, and we’re going to shift along with it, riding the waves to some big dividends that are about to switch into growth mode.

But timing is critical here, because we’re not going to be sitting on these dividends forever. Consider them a “swing trade” to bag big payouts now, plus some hefty dividend hikes. Then you’d take your returns on to the next bargain high yielder when the time is right.

More on this week’s hot-potato dividend plan in a sec. First, let’s delve into what this inflation-panicked market is up to, and how we contrarians can catch a tailwind.… Read more

Inflation worries are everywhere, so let’s dive into what’s behind them—and what we contrarian income-seekers should do right now. The three steps I’m about to show you could hand you a lot of fresh dividend income and price upside, too—even in this (still) overstretched market.

First up—is inflation a real fear right now? Let’s look at the numbers.

Inflation Rises Sharply …

That chart—and shortages of everything from microchips to ketchup—sure seem to indicate that a continued rise in prices is on the way.

But there’s a caveat: this chart compares today’s inflation rate to that of the crushed economy of last year, not to mention those supply-chain issues, which are likely to get ironed out as more of the economy reopens.… Read more

“Don’t you own that, B.O.?”

Go figure. While some people are thought of for their jokes, their hobbies or their families, a reader thought of me when they read about a Vanguard fund underperforming of late.

The poor ol’ Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund (VDIGX). Longtime readers know I’ve yapped about this before. While I rarely mention (let alone endorse!) mutual funds, VDIGX is notable for two reasons:

• I plow 100% of my 401(K) contributions into this fund, and

• It’s a pretty good option as far as retirement plans go.

Why this fund? Because in my “Brett Inc.” company plan, I have a set list of Vanguard funds to choose from.… Read more

We need to talk about SPACs, the popular kids of the investment world over the last year, because they could play a bigger role in our portfolios—and even our dividend income—in the future.

Few people associate SPACs (or special purpose acquisition companies) with dividends. That’s because these so-called “blank check” firms are all about growth: they’re set up and pushed through an IPO simply as a pile of money that’s been pooled by investors. Then, post-IPO, their managers purchase an existing private company (with many SPACs focusing on the tech space). By doing so, the newly acquired firm immediately becomes public, since the SPAC is already a public entity.… Read more

Corn Prices Hit 7-Year Highs

What a headline!

Mr. and Ms. Market could handle a spiking M2. They could turn a blind eye to higher 10-year yields. But now, JP has really backed himself into a corner. Fed Chair Jay Powell has lit a fire under corn prices, of all things:

That Ain’t Crypto—That’s Corn

“This is how inflation starts,” the pundits say. Higher commodity prices drive the Producer Price Index (PPI) up. Consumers (you and I) pay more at the grocery store, and this is reflected in a jump in the CPI (Consumer Price Index).

And the CPI, of course, is the inflation calculator used by the government.… Read more

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise: financial stocks are still a hotbed of dividend (and share-price!) growth for contrarian income-seekers like us.

I know what you’re going to say next: “Brett, everyone says finance stocks are overbought.”

I get it, and that sounds logical … on the surface. 

It is true that when the calendar flipped to January, finance stocks surged, more than doubling the price gains of the S&P 500, going by the performance of the benchmark Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF):

Finance Stocks on a Tear …

But here’s what most folks have missed: even with that gain, finance stocks are only 20% above where they peaked prior to the last financial crisis 14 years ago.… Read more

Don’t listen to the naysayers—tech stocks are set to thrive in the coming months, and the sector is still a great place for us to go hunting for big, and growing, dividends.

Here’s one reason why: despite worries about rising interest rates, the Federal Reserve is likely to keep its key lending rate near zero. That, in turn, means businesses, and especially innovative tech players, will continue to have access to cheap money to invest in new products. 

This low-rate world also means investors starved for income will crowd into any higher-paying investments they can spot (including high-paying tech funds like the one we’ll discuss below).… Read more

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) sure are easy to buy. There’s an ETF for just about anything we can think of—stocks, bonds, commodities, growth, value, sectors, industries and, of course, high yield.

Dividends are our beat here at Contrarian Outlook. And ETFs keep us busy, because for every income investing angle, there is a popular dividend fund that we can easily improve upon.

I commend you for realizing that ETFs are not the final retirement solution. Convenient, yes. But we contrarians have more effective income tools available than ETFs.

Let’s walk through seven popular dividend ETFs (yielding a mouthwatering 5% to 10%), and tinker with each a bit to improve their future performance and their payouts.… Read more

Three of the most successful closed-end funds (CEFs) in history have done something unprecedented—both for the funds themselves and the company that manages them. They merged.

PIMCO is arguably the most successful CEF manager around, and investors know it: they’ve bid up almost all the company’s funds to premiums to net asset value, or NAV (in other words, their market prices are higher than the per-share value of their portfolios). 

The company has always kept its funds separate, even though they have many similarities, so it came as a surprise when it announced that its PIMCO Dynamic Credit and Mortgage Fund (PCI), PIMCO Dynamic Income Fund (PDI) and PIMCO Income Opportunities Fund (PKO) would be merged into the same fund.… Read more

Everyone wants to be a contrarian investor. But in practice, most people buy more near tops and sell shares low.

Our human nature becomes tricky during times like these. Markets are ticking near all-time highs and many investors fear “missing out” on the next leg higher.

If you’re a premium subscriber of mine, your portfolio should be in good shape. It’s mostly to fully invested and has had a great run over the past twelve months.

But—you may have some spare cash that you’re staring at. Or dividends waiting to be reinvested.

Should we buy now? Or wait (hope) for a pullback?… Read more