Oct 2016 Update

October was basically a quiet month with OPEC failing – once again – to shore up their hold on the oil markets.  Chevron announced a small increase in their dividend maintaining their status as a Champion.  Several small positions were added at month end as the market began a pullback (continuing into November) enabling me to start redeploying funds received from PNY’s merger with DUK.  This month The S&P dropped 1.94%.  My portfolio was basically flat, ending down 0.1%.  Note: I normalized these numbers to consider the impact of cash infusion from the merger.  My ‘pure’ equity positions decreased by 4.15%.  The need for this normalization should end as my excess cash is used.  This increases my lead for the year to 11.5% with two months to go.

Headlines impacting my portfolio:

• 10/3 – JNS to merge w/ Henderson
• 10/11 – SRCE gains FRB approval for Sarasota, FL branch
• 10/19 – C finalist to be designated as clearing firm for Renminbi trades

Blog Updates:

I’m a little behind again this month but the portfolio data has been compiled and will be posted in the next couple of days with the goals update later in the week.  The Unabridged portfolio should be next week as per normal.

Portfolio Updates:

• Closed PNY due to merger
• Added to BMO
• Added to CVLY prior to ex-div for the stock dividend
• Added to JNS (weakness on currency exposure)
• New position – ABM
• New position – AMT (Jan)
• New position -BLL
• New position -CASY
• New position -CHCO
• New position -KOF (Mex. peso exposure)
• New position -COKE
• New position -CCE (UK exposure)
• New position -CSAL
• New position -CTBI (Jan)
• New position -CCI
• New position -HUM (Jan)
• New position -LAMR
• New position -NWFL
• New position -OCFC
• New position -ONB
• New position -OUT
• New position -PLD
• New position -QCOM
• New position -DGX (Jan)
• New position -SRC (Jan)
• New position – SGBK (Cuba exosure)
• New position – BATRA
• New position – VALU
• New position  – VER (Jan)
• New position  – YUMC (YUM spin-off)

Dividends:

• October delivered an increase of 28.9% over October 2015.  This was due about evenly between dividend increases (Y/Y) and late 2015 funding.
• October was down 10.68% from the prior quarter due to special and semi-annual payments in July.
• Announced dividend increases currently average 12.59% with 67.11% of my portfolio having at least one raise so far this year.
• Through October, dividends received exceeded total 2015 dividends by 7.2%.

Roughly half of the PNY/DUK proceeds have been redeployed with an additional 3 orders pending for January payers.   I’ve filled some of the hole I’ll face in January, so I plan on maintaining a small cash position through the election before making further decisions.

Spinoffs:

The XRX spin (Conduent) is on track to complete by year end.  MetLife has filed for a spin of their Brighthouse Financial unit under the ticker BHF.

Mergers:

Proxies were received and voted for both the LSBG/BHB and AGU/POT mergers.