This post is one in a series in which more than 60 newsletter advisors share their Top Stock Picks for 2011. This special report is courtesy of TheStockAdvisors.com.

"A stock that should do well in 2011 is Ameriprise Financial (AMP); the company offers financial planning, asset management, and insurance products," says dividend reinvestment specialist Chuck Carlson.

The editor of The DRIP Investor explains, "The company's product focus on meeting the retirement needs of 'mass affluent individuals.'

Continue reading Top Picks 2011: Ameriprise Financial (AMP)

Top Picks 2011: Ameriprise Financial (AMP) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Many growth and income investors will eventually need to start taking dividends to supplement other forms of cash flow," says Chuck Carlson, an expert in dividend reinvestment plans.

The editor of the DRIP Investor explains, "And many investors would like to receive those dividends on a regular basis. And, in fact, you can get monthly dividend check from a portfolio holding just three stocks.

Continue reading Monthly Dividends from a 3-Stock Growth Portfolio

Monthly Dividends from a 3-Stock Growth Portfolio originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Foreign corporations have been on a mini buying spree in 2010. Not surprising, merger and acquisition activity has heated up a bit in the drug sector," says Chuck Carlson, editor of The DRIP Investor.

The dividend expert explains, " Global merger and acquisition activity topped $1 trillion in the first half of 2010, a 9.4% increase over the previous year. And Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY), recommend stock in our Editor's Portfolio, has been one of the more active participants.

Continue reading Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY): Buying Growth?

Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY): Buying Growth? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Direct Investment Plans -- or DRIPs -- are a great way to investor regardless of the market environment; in fact, avoiding the emotional decisions usually made by the typical investor may be their greatest strength," observes DRIP specialist Vita Nelson.

In her MoneyPaper's Direct Investing, she reviews the basics of DRIP investing and discusses her latest "Bargain Corner" stock pick -- Regions Financial (RF).

Vita Nelson explains, "This strategy involve the four Ds -- dividend reinvestment, dollar-cost averaging, diversification, and discipline.

Continue reading Bank on Regions Financial (RF) ... and DRIPs

Bank on Regions Financial (RF) ... and DRIPs originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In her The MoneyPaper, editor Vita Nelson looks to stocks offering dividend reinvestment plans. Here, she highlights Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) as a featured holding in her model portfolio.

"Abbott is a diversified, multinational, health care firm.The shares have not responded to the recent stock market rallies in part due to the defensive nature of health care stocks.

"Uncertainty regarding health care reform is also a factor in the static share price of recent months. ABT shares are now trading below 11 times 2010 earnings estimates, compared with about 15 for the S&P 500.

Continue reading Vita Nelson: DRIP expert votes for Abbott (ABT)

Vita Nelson: DRIP expert votes for Abbott (ABT) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"While companies have been cutting dividends at an historic pace over the last 24 months, the fact is that there are still quality companies with long histories of paying dividends that represent good long-term investments," says Chuck Carlson, a specialist in companies offering dividend reinvestment plans.

In his top-notch The DRIP Investor he says, "The seven stocks featured here have each been paying a dividend for over 100 years, have raised their dividend annually for at least the last quarter century and offer direct-purchase plans.

Continue reading Seven dividend elites: 100 years of dividends

Seven dividend elites: 100 years of dividends originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"I've always liked Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS); the company has traditionally put up good numbers, and the stock price has been rewarding for investors over the years," says Chuck Carlson, noting, "Staples is the world's largest office products company. With $27 billion in sales, Staples serves customers in 27 countries."

The editor of the blue chip advisory, The DRIP Investor, adds, "The stock has gotten hammered by a variety of issues." Here's his review. It is down 40% from its 52-week high

"Yes, the environment for retailers is lousy. Yes, it's tough to see any near-term improvement. And, yes, debt is evil right now. But the stock is already discounting to a large degree those negatives. The stock's current price level is attractive enough to warrant some nibbling.

Continue reading Staples: Rewards for patient investors

Staples: Rewards for patient investors originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 23 Mar 2009 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of a special annual report -- Top Stock Picks '09 -- in which TheStockAdvisors.com asked 75 leading newsletter advisors to select their favorite investment for the new year.

"My selection for 2009 is Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY)," says Chuck Carlson, the leading advisor in the area of dividend reinvestment plans.

In his The DRIP Investor, he explains, "This pharmaceutical company has a lot to offer investors, including a high yield, a rising profit stream, and a speculative kicker in the way of takeover appeal." Here's his review.

"Bristol-Myers Squibb has a number of popular brands, including Plavix, the company's leading cardiovascular product; HIV treatments Reyataz and Sustiva; and oncology product Erbitux. Its stable of products has helped drive decent sales growth.

"Bristol-Myers Squibb has done a nice job of ?rming up its balance sheet. The company's cash coffers were boosted by the sale of its ConvaTec medical-device and wound-care business for $4.1 billion.

"At the end of the third quarter, the ?rm had more than $7 billion in cash and securities, a 'signi?cant majority' of which was invested in Treasury Bills and Treasury-backed securities.

Continue reading Top Stock Picks '09: Bristol-Myers (BMY)

Top Stock Picks '09: Bristol-Myers (BMY) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"I've always been a big fan of putting into the market on a regular basis regardless of what is happening in the overall market," explains Chuck Carlson, long considered one of the advisory industry's leading experts on dividend reinvestment plans.

Here, the editor of The DRIP Investor offers a 10-stock "autopilot" portfolio that is diversified among 10 high quality dividend-paying stocks and requiring a monthly investment of under $500.

Carlson says, "If I've learned anything in the more than a quarter of a century of following the markets, it is this fact - buying stocks when you know you should (i.e. during sharp down moves) is really difficult. Our heads says we should; after all, substantial market downturns create the best values.

"But our emotions usually take control, thus making it very difficult to pull the trigger and put money into the market when stocks are falling.

"That's why I've always been a big fan of 401(k) plans. With these investment vehicles, investment programs are put on 'autopilot,' with dollars being put into the market on a regular basis (usually each paycheck) regardless of what is happening in the overall market.

"Fortunately, investors can duplicate the autopilot feature of 401(k) plans with their DRIP investments by taking advantage of automatic monthly investment features provided by most DRIPs.

Continue reading 'Autopilot' portfolio: 10 stocks for long-term investors

'Autopilot' portfolio: 10 stocks for long-term investors originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Companies dependent on consumer spending have been under a cloud on Wall Street," cautions Chuck Carlson, the industry's leading expert on dividend reinvestment plans.

"However, Disney (NYSE: DIS) is one of those consumer-dependent stocks where conventional wisdom may not be correct," he adds in his The DRIP Investor.

"With $4-per-gallon gasoline, one would think that the high cost of travel would take some steam out of the firm's theme park attendance. However, recent results on this front were decent, and the firm's other businesses have held up, too.

"To be sure, a prolonged recession would impact business. Still, Disney has done a nice job of positioning its theme parks as an affordable vacation for families, and that should help it continue to weather
economic weakness.

"Disney surprised Wall Street with the resiliency of its theme-park and resort business in the fiscal second quarter. Revenue for the unit jumped 11% in the quarter. Results were aided by a boost in international visitors taking advantage of the weak dollar.

Continue reading Disney (DIS): Resiliency and value

Disney (DIS): Resiliency and value originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"In 1999, Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) went from less than $4 to over $92; but the party came to a screeching halt over the next three years," recalls Chuck Carlson, an expert on stocks that offer dividend reinvestment plans.

In The DRIP Investor, he explains, "The stock has been stuck in a trading range for the last four years. But that looks like it is about to end, as it recently moved to a new 52-week high and is setting its sites on its 2006 high of $53."

"Strong earnings and greater visibility on some litigation matters should pave the way for solid gains in the second half of 2008. Technology stocks should remain among the market's leading sectors, and Qualcomm offers an excellent play in the group.

"Qualcomm generates 90% of its revenue from cell-phone chipsets and license royalties paid by users of its intellectual property. Qualcomm's chips are used in mobile phones and wireless infrastructures around the globe.

"Growth here should remain strong as networks convert to third-generation technology and emerging markets expand and upgrade their infrastructure.

Continue reading Qualcomm (QCOM): Ready for a rebound?

Qualcomm (QCOM): Ready for a rebound? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Dividend growth has become increasingly scarce on Wall Street," says says Chuck Carlson, an expert on dividend reinvestment plans. In his The DRIP Investor he looks at two stocks boosting their payouts.

"For the first time in five years, the number of companies in 2007 boosting their dividends declined nearly
6% from the previous year, according to Standard & Poor's. And the slowdown in dividend growth continued in the first quarter of 2008.

"The first quarter marked the seventh consecutive three-month period of year-over-year declines in the number of companies raising dividends. Through the first three months of this year, 19% fewer companies raised dividends than in the year-earlier quarter.

"Even more alarming, 83 companies decreased their dividends during the fi rst quarter, according to S&P. That's up from just 19 in the same period in 2007 and is the highest number of dividend decreases since 1991.

"Nevertheless, there are still plenty of companies willing to boost their dividends, and you can now buy such companies at bargain prices.

Continue reading Dividend boosters: Emerson Electric (EMR) and United Technologies (UTX)

Dividend boosters: Emerson Electric (EMR) and United Technologies (UTX) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"The big decline in stocks begs the question, is this the beginning of a bear market?" says Chuck Carlson, the editor of The DRIP Investor. His answer: "I don't think so."

For blue chip exposure, quality management, and diversification across many industries it's hard to beat General Electric (NYSE: GE). Unfortunately, despite the fundamental accolades earned by the company, its stock has been a rather lackluster performer in recent years.

Carlson explains, "Indeed, the issue has been extremely sluggish over the last six years and trades well below its 2000 high of more than $60. Decent earnings, a massive stock buyback, and the prospects for portfolio restructurings are driving these shares.

"With an above-market yield and reasonable valuation, these shares should outperform the broad market over the next 24 to 48 months. The stock represents a quality selection among Dow stocks.

Continue reading Volatile Markets: Stick with General Electric (GE)

Volatile Markets: Stick with General Electric (GE) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 16 Aug 2007 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Periodically, a beginning investor reader will ask how to decide on which stocks to purchase. The easy answer is that beginning investors have no business investing in individual stocks. Beginning investors should be investing in mutual funds containing diverse offerings that decrease risk. Or, beginning investors should invest in exchange traded funds, ETFs, which are collections of stocks around a central investment goal or risk factor, but unlike mutual funds, ETFs trade on stock exchanges and are fully liquid.

All that being said, investors who want to purchase individual stocks in their own name, would do well to investigate publicly traded companies that offer dividend reinvestment plans, or DRIPs.

DRIPS are an extension of employee stock plans that larger companies have long offered their employees, but are now also open to the investing public.

HOW TO FIND A DRIP PLAN:

Continue reading Dividend Reinvestment Plans - a good deal

Dividend Reinvestment Plans - a good deal originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Chuck Carlson is the newsletter industry leader in DRIPs, or dividend reinvestment plans. Not surprisingly, then, his newsletter is called The DRIP Investor.

For those unfamiliar with these programs, DRIPs are dividend reinvestment plans, which are set up by companies to make it easier and more cost-effective for individual investors to buy and accumulate long-term positions by reinvesting dividends back into additional shares.

Usually, the commissions and other related costs of DRIPs are low, and in some cases, free. Says Carlson, "All things equal, a DRIP with no fees is better than one that charges fees."

He continues, "To be sure, I'm not suggesting investors should automatically discard a DRIP because it charges fees. Still, fees erode investment returns, so taking fees into account in your selection process makes sense."

To help investors find the most cost-effective way of building portfolios, the advisor has conducted a review of "fee-free" plans. Using a proprietary system that ranks 5,000 stocks based on over 100 metrics, he has developed a "starter portfolio" for those with limited investment funds. Such a starter portfolio, he notes, could be developed with as little as $1,000 to start.

He notes, "If I were constructing a reasonably diversified starter portfolio of six "fee-free" stocks, I would focus on the following issues:

Continue reading Six stocks for a fee-free starter portfolio

Six stocks for a fee-free starter portfolio originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 25 Apr 2007 11:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.