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Coronation! [MGEE]

It’s after dusk in Madison, Wisconsin, July 19, 1855. Legislators have just gaslit the public and about 2,000 people have marched to the steps of the Capitol. When they get there, a few of the area’s more notable politicians deliver a series of impromptu speeches. Were it not for a hard rain that came during the fourth speech, resulting in the dispersal of the crowd, things could have gotten dark – but thankfully, the lights stayed on.

Gaslighting wasn’t always a bad thing. Back in 1855, the Madison Gas Light & Coke Company had just been granted exclusive rights to illuminate the city’s streets with gas-powered lamps. The 2,000 people who marched to the Capitol that evening weren’t duped by months of political deceit—they were genuinely thrilled. Their gathering wasn’t a protest, but a celebration of progress: the arrival of streetlamps that would finally light up Madison’s nights. In that moment, “gaslighting” meant something entirely different—it meant turning darkness into light.

Over the next 170 years, the Madison Gas Light & Coke Company would evolve—changing names, expanding its footprint, and adding a constellation of related businesses. Its modern incarnation has paid uninterrupted cash dividends for more than 110 years. On August 15, 2025, it marked a milestone few companies ever reach: 50 consecutive years of dividend increases. With that announcement, a new Dividend King has officially joined the Royal Dividends Empire.

All hail MGE Energy Inc!

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Coronation! [MGEE]Read More »

No Purchase This Week [37]

This week is the fourth of five ‘off’ weeks intended to restore the $250+ per week pace of investment. This became necessary after establishing new positions in SCL and UHT.

This week, six of the portfolio holdings ranked in the Top Ten: BDX, FMCB, HTO, PPG, QCOM, and SCL.

TickerAccount Value
BDX3,793.54
FMCB4,160.00
HTO3,211.74
PPG3,199.56
QCOM3,634.23
SCL3,217.18

The lowest amount belongs to PPG, but there is a position imbalance such that only four existing holdings are eligible for additional investment: EPD, FRT, NNN, and UHT. As you can see, none of those companies are in the table above. That means, the highest-ranking stock in the Top Ten, but not currently in the portfolio (and regardless of sector, as there is no sector imbalance) would be added to the portfolio. For the fourth week in a row, that stock is Pepsi Co. [PEP].

Again, it is an ‘off’ week, so we’ll just continue to monitor the situation.

No Purchase This Week [36]

This week is the third of five ‘off’ weeks intended to restore the $250+ per week pace of investment. This became necessary after establishing new positions in SCL and UHT. Due to an inability to curb my enthusiasm, I present the weekly ranking as if it matters.

This week, six of the portfolio holdings ranked in the Top Ten: BDX, FMCB, HTO, PPG, QCOM, and SCL.

TickerAccount Value
BDX3,722.86
FMCB4,145.12
HTO3,151.26
PPG3,130.40
QCOM3,630.55
SCL3,059.70

The lowest amount belongs to SCL, but there is a position imbalance such that only four existing holdings are eligible for additional investment: EPD, FRT, NNN, and UHT. As you can see, none of those companies are in the table above. That means, the highest-ranking stock in the Top Ten, but not currently in the portfolio (and regardless of sector as there is no sector imbalance) would be added to the portfolio. For the third week in a row, the stock is Pepsi Co. [PEP].

Again, it is an ‘off’ week, so we’ll just monitor the situation for two more weeks.

No Purchase This Week [35]

This week is the second of five ‘off’ weeks intended to restore the $250+ per week pace of investment. This became necessary after establishing new positions in SCL and UHT. But out of sheer boredom, I always go through the motions for the devoted masses.

This week, six of the portfolio holdings ranked in the Top Ten: BDX, FMCB, HTO, PPG, QCOM, and SCL.

TickerAccount Value
BDX3,676.50
FMCB4,107.00
HTO3,165.75
PPG2,994.60
QCOM3,393.88
SCL3,032.42

Once again, the lowest amount belongs to PPG, but there is a position imbalance such that only four existing holdings are eligible for additional investment: EPD, FRT, NNN, and UHT. As you can see, none of those companies are in the table above. That means, the highest-ranking stock in the Top Ten, but not currently in the portfolio (and regardless of sector as there is no sector imbalance) would be added to the portfolio – and that stock would be Pepsi Co. [PEP]. I’ve heard of it.

Alas, it is an ‘off’ week, so we’ll just monitor the situation for a few weeks.

Selling a Cash-Secured Put [LEG]

We’re facing what I believe is a rare and compelling opportunity: a broad, tariff-driven market sell-off has created mispriced assets across the board. LEG took a sharp hit following its Q2 2025 earnings release—not, in my view, due to company-specific weakness, but as collateral damage from the wider market reaction.

Here’s the move I’m making—and you can too, if you’ve got $750 in available cash. It’s a straightforward, cash-secured put strategy designed to capitalize on temporary dislocation while positioning for long-term value.

Selling to Open: 1 October 17, 2025 $7.50 Put Option [Symbol: LEG251017P7.5]

Limit Order Price:  Credit of $0.50 per share

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Selling a Cash-Secured Put [LEG]Read More »

No Purchase This Week [34]

This week is the first of five ‘off’ weeks intended to restore the $250+ per week pace of investment. Last week I added UHT to the portfolio; being over $750 but under $1,000, this necessitates taking two weeks off. However, I forgot to skip some weeks when SCL was added to the portfolio on 2025-05-27. Because that entry was $0.26 over $1,000, there should have been three off weeks associated with it. So, at a time when the stock market has finally taken a look in the mirror, the timing of these off weeks probably won’t hurt the portfolio. But for those who might be suicidal without the weekly ranking, I go through the motions.

This week, five of the portfolio holdings ranked in the Top Ten: BDX, HTO, PPG, QCOM, and SCL.

TickerAccount Value
BDX3,351.03
HTO3,117.87
PPG2,924.32
QCOM3,408.37
SCL3,091.32

The lowest amount belongs to PPG, but there is a position imbalance such that only four existing holdings are eligible for additional investment: EPD, FRT, NNN, and UHT. As you can see, none of those companies are in the table above. That means, the highest-ranking stock in the Top Ten, but not currently in the portfolio (and regardless of sector as there is no sector imbalance) would be added to the portfolio – and that stock would be Pepsi Co. [PEP].

Alas, it is an ‘off’ week, so we’ll just monitor the situation for another month.

Dividend Stock of the Week [UHT]

This week, six of the portfolio holdings ranked in the Top 10: BDX, FMCB, HTO, PPG, QCOM, and SCL.

TickerAccount Value
BDX3,521.08
FMCB4,060.00
HTO3,062.43
PPG3,246.60
QCOM3,643.20
SCL3,537.10

The lowest amount belongs to HTO. However, there exists a position and sector imbalance such that only FRT (position perspective) and Real Estate (sector perspective) are eligible for additional investment. Unfortunately, FRT nor any other Real Estate stock made the Top Ten. Upon relaxing the expected total return requirement from greater than 10% to greater than 9.3%, the first Real Estate stock makes an appearance at #24 in the expanded ranking. And it isn’t either of our current holdings, FRT or NNN.

It is time to add a new position to the Portfolio for the Ages!

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Dividend Stock of the Week [UHT]Read More »

Dividend King of the Week [SCL][8]

This week, six of the portfolio holdings ranked in the Top Ten: BDX, FMCB, HTO, PPG, QCOM, and SCL.

TickerAccount Value
BDX3,398.15
FMCB3,985.87
HTO3,165.12
PPG3,206.84
QCOM3,560.40
SCL2,926.56

There is an additional $291.37 in uninvested income available this week. The lowest amount belongs to SCL which last traded at $56.28. Therefore, I will acquire 5 shares on Monday. See the post from 2025-05-25 for a more in-depth look at SCL. Below, is the purchase history and average cost calculation.

Performance Update [5]

On 2024-11-29, the equally weighted S&P 500 Index [SPXEW] reached an all-time high of $7,612.31. SPXEW found itself down 20% from the all-time high on 2025-04-07. Since then, the market has climbed nearly all the way back and is now down just 2.5% from the high. In fact, just three days ago, the market weighted S&P 500 Index [SPX] reached a new all-time high. But that’s essentially all because of Nvidia [NVDA] which has doubled since April 7th.

The Portfolio for the Ages turns three today. It has not doubled since April 7th. Let’s talk about that.

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Performance Update [5]Read More »

Dividend King of the Week [BDX][6]

This week, six of the portfolio holdings ranked in the Top Ten: BDX, FMCB, HTO, PPG, QCOM, and SCL.

TickerAccount Value
BDX2,991.49
FMCB3,981.40
HTO3,209.22
PPG3,284.40
QCOM3,621.58
SCL3,069.04

The lowest amount belongs to BDX which last traded at $175.97. Therefore, I will acquire 2 shares on Monday. See the post from 2025-05-03 for a more in-depth look at BDX. Below, is the purchase history and average cost calculation.

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