Group 1 - The article emphasizes the importance of focusing on companies with reliable and proven business models for dividend-focused investing [1] - Scott Kaufman, known as Treading Softly, has over a decade of experience in the financial sector and is the lead analyst for Dividend Kings [1] - The goal is to achieve a strong total return through cash dividends and capital gains [1] Group 2 - The article mentions that Kody's Dividends, Justin Law, and Rachel Kaufman are part of the Dividend Kings team, indicating a collaborative effort in dividend analysis [2] - There is a disclosure of a beneficial long position in the shares of YORW, highlighting the analyst's vested interest in the stock [2]

My approach as a dividend-focused investor and analyst is to focus on companies with reliable and proven business models. That's because it would be pointless for one to save, invest, and grind their wayScott Kaufman, aka Treading Softly, learned about investing firsthand from over a decade of financial sector experience. He is the lead analyst for Dividend Kings providing actionable insight into high quality dividend growing and undervalued opportunities. His focus is to see a bountiful harvest of cash div ...

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights three companies known as "Dividend Champions," which have a long history of increasing dividends, making them attractive for income investors as interest rates are expected to decline in the future [3]. Group 1: Royal Gold - Royal Gold, based in Denver, Colorado, has a dividend yield of 0.77% and has raised its dividend every year since July 2000, with a total increase of 58.3% since 2021, outpacing the 19% inflation during the same period [4][5][6]. - The company has maintained its dividend growth even during periods of declining gold prices, such as from 2012 to 2020, when its dividend increased by 87% despite gold prices falling [6][8]. - Royal Gold's business model involves acquiring royalty interests in various metals, allowing it to sustain dividend increases regardless of gold price fluctuations [7][8]. Group 2: York Water - York Water, a Pennsylvania-based water utility, has announced its 29th annual dividend hike, maintaining a record of 620 consecutive payouts since 1816, which is believed to be a record for American companies [9][10]. - The company's recent dividend increase of 4% in 2025 is above the 2.7% inflation rate, and since 2021, it has raised its dividend by 22%, demonstrating its ability to keep pace with inflation [10]. - With a payout ratio of just 63%, York Water's dividend appears sustainable, as its earnings are growing faster than its payouts [12]. Group 3: Caterpillar - Caterpillar, a leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, has increased its dividend for 31 consecutive years, including a 7% increase announced last June [13][14]. - The company's dividend has grown by 46.6% since 2021, significantly outpacing inflation, and its long-term track record shows that payouts have tripled over the last 25 years [14][16]. - Caterpillar's resilience is evident as it continued to increase dividends during economic downturns, such as the Financial Crisis and the pandemic, showcasing management's commitment to rewarding shareholders [16][17].

Core Insights - The stock market has shown strong performance in 2025, with major indices reaching record highs, indicating Wall Street's potential for wealth creation [1][2] Group 1: Visa - Visa has a strong track record, with shares climbing in 13 of the last 15 years, and only two declines of 0.3% and 3.3% in 2021 and 2022 respectively [4] - The company's performance is closely tied to economic growth, benefiting from increased consumer and business spending [5] - Visa's focus on payment facilitation rather than lending allows it to avoid capital set-asides for loan losses, enabling quicker recovery during economic downturns [6] Group 2: The Trade Desk - The Trade Desk is positioned for recovery in 2026, with midterm elections expected to boost ad spending [7] - The company's Unified ID 2.0 technology is gaining traction, which could enhance its pricing power and sustain double-digit sales growth [8] - Shares are currently valued at 18 times forward earnings, presenting a bargain compared to previous expectations of 20% to 40% annual sales growth [9] Group 3: Meta Platforms - Meta Platforms remains fundamentally attractive despite high market valuations, with its apps attracting an average of 3.54 billion daily users [11][12] - The introduction of generative AI solutions is expected to enhance ad pricing power and improve click-through rates [13] Group 4: UnitedHealth Group - UnitedHealth Group faced challenges in 2025 but has historically risen in 22 of the last 26 years [16] - The company is exiting unprofitable markets and plans to increase healthcare premiums, which should enhance its pricing power [17] - The Optum subsidiary is expected to rebound, potentially making UnitedHealth a top performer in 2026 [18] Group 5: Sirius XM Holdings - Sirius XM operates as a legal monopoly in satellite radio, generating over 75% of its revenue from subscriptions, which provides predictable cash flow [20][21] - The company has a forward P/E ratio of less than 7, representing a 46% discount to its five-year average [22][23] Group 6: BioMarin Pharmaceutical - BioMarin focuses on ultrarare-disease therapies, with its drug Voxzogo expected to exceed $1 billion in sales this year [25][26] - The company is streamlining operations and is projected to achieve mid-to-high single-digit sales growth in 2026 [27] Group 7: NextEra Energy - NextEra Energy has generated positive returns for investors in 21 of the last 24 years, benefiting from stable electricity demand [29] - The company leads in renewable energy capacity, which has reduced generation costs and supported high-single-digit EPS growth [30][31] Group 8: Okta - Okta provides essential cybersecurity services, with demand expected to grow as cyber threats persist [33][34] - The company's subscription backlog increased to nearly $4.3 billion, reflecting strong growth potential [35] Group 9: York Water - York Water is positioned for significant revenue growth if its proposed rate increase is approved, potentially increasing annual revenue by 32% [37][38] - The company has a long history of dividend payments, enhancing its appeal as a stable investment [39] Group 10: O'Reilly Automotive - O'Reilly Automotive has advanced in 21 of the last 23 years, benefiting from the increasing age of vehicles on the road [41] - The company's share-repurchase program has positively impacted its EPS, making it attractive to value investors [43]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the investment position of the author in YORW, indicating a beneficial long position through various means such as stock ownership and derivatives [1]. Group 1 - The author expresses personal opinions regarding the investment without receiving compensation from any company mentioned [1]. - The article emphasizes that it is not financial advice and encourages investors to conduct their own due diligence before making investment decisions [2]. - It highlights the ownership of European and Canadian tickers by the author, indicating a vested interest in the companies discussed [2]. Group 2 - The article notes that past performance does not guarantee future results, and no specific investment recommendations are provided [3]. - It clarifies that the views expressed may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole, indicating a diversity of opinions among analysts [3]. - The article mentions that analysts may not be licensed or certified, which could affect the credibility of the investment insights provided [3].

Core Insights - The article discusses the investment position of the author in YORW shares, indicating a beneficial long position through various means such as stock ownership and derivatives [1] Group 1 - The author expresses personal opinions regarding the investment without receiving compensation from any company mentioned [1] - The article emphasizes that it is not financial advice and encourages investors to conduct their own due diligence before making investment decisions [2] - It highlights the ownership of European/Scandinavian tickers by the author, indicating a vested interest in the companies discussed [2] Group 2 - The article notes that past performance does not guarantee future results, and no specific investment recommendations are provided [3] - It clarifies that the views expressed may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole, indicating a diversity of opinions among analysts [3] - The article mentions that analysts may not be licensed or certified, which could impact the credibility of the investment insights provided [3]

Core Points - York Water declared a quarterly dividend of $0.228 per share in November 2025, representing a 4.0% increase from the prior year [1] - The company has maintained a dividend payment streak that extends over a decade [1]

Core Insights - The article highlights York Water as an exceptional dividend stock with a 209-year streak of continuous payouts, significantly longer than any other company [15][12] - It emphasizes the stability and predictability of dividend-paying companies, particularly in the utility sector, which can navigate economic uncertainties effectively [4][16] Company Overview - York Water, a water and wastewater utility based in South-Central Pennsylvania, has been paying dividends since 1816, making it one of the rarest dividend stocks [13][15] - The company has a market capitalization of approximately $471 million and services 57 municipalities [13] Dividend Performance - York Water has maintained a continuous dividend payment for 209 years, a record unmatched by any other company, with only three U.S. presidents having served during its payout history [15] - The company's dividend yield is currently 2.74%, which is considered modest but reflects a significant share price appreciation of 476% since the year 2000 [21] Financial Stability - The predictability of York Water's cash flow is attributed to the stable demand for water services and the regulatory environment that protects its pricing [16][18] - The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PPUC) regulates rate increases, ensuring a stable revenue stream for York Water [18] Growth Potential - York Water has requested a rate increase of $24.2 million, which would boost its annual revenue by 31% from the projected $78 million for the current year [19] - The company has also pursued bolt-on acquisitions to expand its customer base, which is expected to be accretive to its earnings [20] Valuation - York Water is currently valued at less than 21 times forward-year earnings, representing a 29% discount to its average forward price-to-earnings multiple over the past five years [20]

Core Points - The article discusses the importance of enabling Javascript and cookies in browsers to avoid access issues [1] - It highlights that ad-blockers may prevent users from proceeding to the desired content [1] Summary by Categories Technical Requirements - Users are advised to enable Javascript and cookies in their browsers to ensure proper functionality [1] - The presence of ad-blockers can lead to restrictions in accessing content [1]

Core Insights - York Water (YORW) reported quarterly earnings of $0.43 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.38 per share, and showing an increase from $0.41 per share a year ago, resulting in an earnings surprise of +13.16% [1] - The company posted revenues of $20.36 million for the quarter ended September 2025, which was 3.04% below the Zacks Consensus Estimate, but an increase from $19.72 million year-over-year [2] - York Water shares have underperformed the market, losing about 0.9% since the beginning of the year compared to the S&P 500's gain of 15.6% [3] Earnings Outlook - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $0.36 on revenues of $20 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $1.35 on revenues of $78 million [7] - The estimate revisions trend for York Water was mixed ahead of the earnings release, resulting in a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) for the stock, indicating expected performance in line with the market [6] Industry Context - The Utility - Water Supply industry, to which York Water belongs, is currently ranked in the top 26% of over 250 Zacks industries, suggesting a favorable outlook compared to lower-ranked industries [8] - Empirical research indicates a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can be tracked by investors [5]