ASK THE READERS - Should I buy HCP, WMT, KMI, or IBM?

We started this series back in November of 2014 as a way to add some fun to our buying process. We plan to continue doing these Ask the Reader post once a month (except when funds are limited) and will be maintaining the stocks purchased in a separate portfolio just to see how they perform. 

For each ASK THE READER post, we will select 3-4 current stocks on our watch list that we feel are worth buying.  But to add some fun into our buying process, we have decided to put our faith in our fellow bloggers and readers once a month. 

The stocks we have chosen this month are stocks that are currently at the top of our watch list and thus stocks we would be comfortable buying regardless of the outcome.  But we thought it would be fun to get our readers input and see if collectively, we can all beat the market with this interactive portfolio. :) 

Below is a chart below of our ASK THE READER purchases to date: 



So far, this account hasn't really done too well.  Mainly due to the fall of energy and oil stocks.  But it's OK, we are long term investors and have confidence that the so-called losers here will eventually see a turn around.  We've been investing long enough to know that there are cycles in everything.  Although it may take longer than we may like, we remain confident that many of these will eventually rebound.  Meanwhile, we'll just sit back and collect the dividends. :) 

Please help us get this account in the green by spending a few minutes to vote for ONE stock from the companies listed below.  Tell us why you like the stock that you picked. 

Thanks in advance for your STOCK PICK!

STOCK #1 - HCP, Inc (HCP)

• Sector: Financials - Real Estate
• Market Cap: 16.2 Billion
• Dividend Yield: 6.46% 
• Consecutive years of dividend increase: 29 Years
• Paying Dividends Since: 1990 (25 years)
• Payout Ratio: 71.5%
• P/E Ratio: 69

STOCK #2 - Wal-Mart Stores (WMT)

• Sector: Discount Stores
• Market Cap: 192.5 Billion
• Dividend Yield: 3.26% 
• Consecutive years of dividend increase: 40 Years
• Paying Dividends Since:  1973 (42 years)
• Payout Ratio: 43.1%
• P/E Ratio: 13

STOCK #3 - Kinder Morgan, Inc (KMI)

• Sector: Energy - Oil & Gas
• Market Cap: 64.0 Billion
• Dividend Yield: 8.72% 
• Consecutive years of dividend increase: 4 Years
• Paying Dividends Since: 1937 (78 years)
• Payout Ratio: 309%
• P/E Ratio: 52

STOCK #4 - International Business Machine (IBM)

• Sector: Informational Technology Services
• Market Cap: 134.3 Billion
• Dividend Yield: 3.75% 
• Consecutive years of dividend increase: 15 Years
• Paying Dividends Since: 1916 (99 years)
• Payout Ratio: 34.9%
• P/E Ratio: 10

**LET US KNOW WHICH STOCK YOU WOULD PICK AND WHY**

Thank you in advance!!

RECENT BUY (NYSE: VTR)

WE RECENTLY PURCHASED THE FOLLOWING

VENTAS Inc (VTR)

Purchased 6 shares of VTR on 10/28/2015 at $55.20
Total Spent: $331.20

This morning, with Ventas Inc (VTR) seemingly this month's ASK THE READERS pick, we decided to place an order to buy 6 shares of VTR.  In case you missed it, we asked our readers to pick a stock between Ventas Inc (VTR), Kinder Morgan Inc (KMI), and Potash Corp (POT).  At the time of this write up, the final tally was: VTR- 5, KMI- 2, and POT- 1.  

Company Description

From Google Finance:

“Ventas, Inc. is a real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company has a portfolio of seniors housing and healthcare properties located throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. The Company operates through three segments: triple-net leased properties, senior living operations and MOB operations. The triple-net leased properties segment invests in seniors housing and healthcare properties throughout the United States and the United Kingdom and lease those properties to healthcare operating companies under triple-net or absolute-net leases that obligate the tenants to pay all property-related expenses. The senior living operations segment invests in seniors housing communities throughout the United States and Canada and engages independent operators, such as Atria and Sunrise, to manage those communities. The MOB operations segment, acquires, owns, develops, leases, and manages MOBs throughout the United States. It invests in seniors housing and healthcare properties.”

Thank you all who voted for this month's Ask the Readers post. We do not currently own shares of VTR so we were happy to be adding 6 shares of VTR (Ventas Inc) to our family's dividend stocks portfolio. With our new purchase this morning, our estimated forward dividends grew another $17.52, putting our yearly dividends at approximately $3,575/year (excluding our Edwards Jones account) and $3,932/year (including our Edward Jones account). 

Since we did not previously own VTR, the purchase now means that our family's dividend stocks portfolios (WF and EJ Accounts) is now mode up of a total of 48 different dividend paying stocks/ETFs and also 4 companies that either don't pay a dividend our has currently suspended their dividends.

Our family's dividend stocks portfolio may be found

by clicking on the link below:

DIVIDEND STOCKS PORTFOLIO

We also maintain an extensive list of stock analysis

that can be access through the link below:

COLLECTION OF STOCK ANALYSES

We also just started a list of Recent Buys by other bloggers

that can be access through the link below:

COLLECTION OF RECENT BUYS

HERE IS A QUICK FACT SHEET FOR THE STOCK I JUST PURCHASED:

Ventas Inc (VTR)

P/E: 44.10
Payout Ratio: 207.6%
Dividend Yield: 5.3%
5 consecutive years of dividend increases
Last Ex-dividend date: 9/11/2015

Next Ex-dividend date: approx. - 12/11/2015
Have paid a dividend since: 1999 (16 years)
Pays a dividend 4 times a year.
Market Cap: 18.3 Billion
52-week high: $71.74
52-week low: $52.03
Purchased Price: $55.20

What are your thoughts on of recent purchase?

What are you buying?

ASK THE READERS - Should I buy VTR, KMI, or POT?

We started this series back in November of 2014 as a way to add some fun to our buying process. We plan to continue doing these Ask the Reader post once a month (except when funds are limited) and will be maintaining the stocks purchased in a separate portfolio just to see how they perform. 

For each ASK THE READER post, we will select 3-4 current stocks on our watch list that we feel are worth buying.  But to add some fun into our buying process, we have decided to put our faith in our fellow bloggers and readers once a month. 

The stocks we have chosen this month are stocks that are currently at the top of our watch list and thus stocks we would be comfortable buying regardless of the outcome.  But we thought it would be fun to get our readers input and see if collectively, we can all beat the market with this interactive portfolio. :) 

Below is a chart below of our ASK THE READER purchases to date: 



So far, this account hasn't really done too well.  Mainly due to the fall of energy and oil stocks.  But it's OK, we are long term investors and have confidence that the so-called losers here will eventually see a turn around.  We've been investing long enough to know that there are cycles in everything.  Although it may take longer than we may like, we remain confident that many of these will eventually rebound.  Meanwhile, we'll just sit back and collect the dividends. :) 

Please help us get this account in the green by spending a few minutes to vote for ONE stock from the companies listed below.  Tell us why you like the stock that you picked. 

Thanks in advance for your STOCK PICK!

STOCK #1 - Ventas, Inc (VTR)

• Sector: Financials - Real Estate
• Market Cap: 18.3 Billion
• Dividend Yield: 5.3% 
• Consecutive years of dividend increase: 5 Years
• Paying Dividends Since: 1999 (16 years)
• Payout Ratio: 207.6%
• P/E Ratio: 44.10

STOCK #2 - Kinder Morgan, Inc (KMI)

• Sector: Energy - Oil & Gas
• Market Cap: 64.0 Billion
• Dividend Yield: 6.98% 
• Consecutive years of dividend increase: 3 Years
• Paying Dividends Since: 1937 (78 years)
• Payout Ratio: 252.55%
• P/E Ratio: 55.15

STOCK #3 - Potash Corp (POT)

• Sector: Materials - Agricultural Chemicals 
• Market Cap: 18.2 Billion
• Dividend Yield: 6.95% 
• Consecutive years of dividend increase: 4 Years
• Paying Dividends Since: 1990 (25 years)
• Payout Ratio: 79.17%
• P/E Ratio: 12.08

The 3 companies we picked this month have three things in common: 1) they all pay great dividends; 2) they are all billion dollar companies; and 3) unfortunately, they all have undesirable payout ratios!!! Of the three, which company do you think has the best long-term prospects?

**LET US KNOW WHICH STOCK YOU WOULD PICK AND WHY**

Thank you in advance!!