What if you could lock in a 7.7% gain year in and year out, and get it all in cash, no matter what the S&P 500 does?

With the market’s paper gains for 2018 now mostly gone, no thanks to the correction, I’m guessing this would have a lot of appeal. So today, I’m going to show you 2 “pullback-proof” dividends paying 5.4% and 7.7%, with plenty of price upside ahead, too.

Thanks to the pullback, these two are perfect for buying now and sitting on forever (or at least a few decades). More on them in a moment.

How to Beat Fear and Get Rich From the Pullback

First, if the daily barrage of negative headlines has you pondering bailing out on stocks, stick with me for a second, because that’s the worst thing you could do now.… Read more

If you’re like most people, you probably think it’s tough to find a fund that’s had a great 2018, especially since recent volatility has brought pessimism back in vogue.

But you’d be wrong.

Truth is, a lot of funds are doing well, with over 400 up nearly 5% or more so far on the year. The top performers share 3 common themes that could tell us a lot about which sectors are poised to take off next year.

Let’s dig in. Along the way, we’ll hone in on 13 funds cashing in as these breakthrough trends head higher.

Trend No. 1: A Return to Healthcare (5 Funds)

Investors tend to get scared of healthcare and biosciences stocks during times of broader market unease, but every once in a while they ignore the panic and focus on the lifesaving innovations this sector can provide.… Read more

This bull market is ten years old and stocks at large are richly valued. No wonder the last few weeks have been scary for some, who haven’t seen a real bear market in a very long time. Should we take our cue from the recent pullback to sell some positions, hunker down in cash and “wait things out” for a bit?

Absolutely not. First, it’s very difficult (and really, impossible) to know when it’s time to “get back into stocks.” Hulbert Financial recently ran the numbers for Barron’s on the advisors it monitors. It focused on the best “peak market timers” – the gurus who correctly forecasted the bursting of the Internet bubble in March 2000 and the Great Recession in October 2007.… Read more

Another one bites the dust.

That’s what I thought when I saw earlier this month that Sears Holdings (SHLD) was throwing in the towel and filing for bankruptcy.

The news was not too surprising for anyone that’s been following the retail sector, but with nearly 200 Sears and KMart stores that are now slated to close, it could be the blow that knocks some mall REIT dividends to the mat for a 10-count.

That’s because in addition to Sears, Mattress Firm, Brookstone, Claire’s and Bon-Ton are just a few of the retailers that also went under in 2018.

The mall was already on life support before Amazon.com… Read more

In a recent survey of CEF Insider readers, a few asked me whether I prefer equity or debt closed-end funds (CEFs) and why.

It’s an intriguing question because the two fund types act very differently. So let’s dive into these differences, and the benefits both breeds offer, so you’ll know which fits best in your portfolio now.

Equity Vs. Debt Funds

Put simply, an equity CEF has more than half its assets in stocks, while a debt CEF has more than half its assets in debts—usually corporate bonds, junk bonds or municipal bonds. Sometimes the lines get blurred, like with convertible-bond funds that also buy stocks.… Read more

If you’re like many income investors I hear from, you’re probably worried about a repeat of 2008. The media doesn’t help – the talking heads like to conjure up fear because it draws eyeballs to the TV screen and clicks to Internet articles.

And so what if they’re right for once? In a moment we’ll discuss the safest dividends for a serious pullback.

First, let me calm you down and add that a 2008 rerun is not our most likely scenario. As generals tend to fight the last war, investors tend to fear the last bear market. The next bear is likely to have its own unique “charm” – causes and effects – and we’d like to figure out that flavor ahead of time.… Read more

I’m about to show you 3 dividend powerhouses set to soar thanks to one of the most powerful (and misunderstood) profit indicators there is.

It involves the midterm elections—but only because the vote will remove some uncertainty and likely propel the market higher. But that’s only part of the story.

Because I fully expect this market to hold onto its midterm pop, then surge double-digits in 2019, thanks to the 1 proven indicator I’ll show you today.

90-Year-Old Indicator Signals Big Gains in 2019

I’m talking about a proven way to play the political calendar for 13%+ gains (plus dividends) in a single year.… Read more

With the recent panic, many people fear there’s just no good way to make good money in stocks anymore.

This is really short sighted!

And dead wrong.

But to make the most profits in a market like this, you simply must choke back your natural instinct to flee when stocks are a sea of red.

To see how being greedy when others are frightened pays off, let me show you a classic example: a fund that holds the very investments that set off the financial meltdown back in 2008. And you’ll probably be shocked to hear that I see them as a screaming buy today.… Read more

Dividends or growth? Why choose?

There’s a widespread belief that stocks and funds can deliver red-hot capital gains or substantial income, but not both. Fortunately for us that’s not true.

It is possible to collect big dividends and capital appreciation. I’m going to show you how to safely collect 32% in total returns in less than a year from a big dividend payer. And while this “easy dividend money” has been made, we’ll discuss three more stocks yielding around 8%-9% that can deliver 20%+ in dividends and upside over the next twelve months..

Income investors like you and me should focus on total returns, which are made up of dividends and price appreciation.… Read more

Do you want to generate income that increases along with interest rates, with the potential upside from private equity investments? A Business Development Company (BDC), a type of closed-end investment company, could be the answer you’re looking for.

BDCs were created by the U.S. Congress back in 1980, as a way to help small- and mid-size businesses grow. They invest in debt and/or equity and often provide operational assistance to the internal management team. Similar to real estate investment trusts (REITs), a BDC distributes at least 90% of its profits as dividends.

It’s the dividends that really make BDCs stand out in this rising interest rate environment, especially since trading volatility has spiked of late.… Read more