Table of Contents of the Book: 8170948991

Contents

Preface

Introduction

PART A: DIVIDEND BASICS

Chapter 1. Companies and Dividends

The purpose of companies — to pay dividends

Cash is king

Dividends can grow even in hard times

Spreading investments without increasing risk

How is the size of dividend decided?

Different types of dividends

Key points

Chapter 2. Results Announcements and Annual Reports

Key points

PART B: DIVIDEND ANALYSIS

Chapter 3. Profits, Dividends and Cash Flow

Profits

Dividends

Cash flow

Key points

Chapter 4. Progressive Dividends

Checking the history of dividends

Key points

Chapter 5. Dividend Yield

A problem of comparing dividends

Calculating the dividend yield

Two types of dividend yield

Key points

Chapter 6. Other Key Ratios

Earnings per share

Price / earnings ratio

Dividend cover

Gearing (also referred to as leverage)

Interest cover

Cash flow

Total return

Key points

PART C: INVESTING TACTICS

Chapter 7. Picking Sectors

Cyclicals v Defensives

Dividend data by sector

Visibility of earnings

Lumpy earnings

Insurance

Key points

Chapter 8. Dividends by Index

Indices

Observations

Key points

Chapter 9. Share Buybacks

Fashions change

Cash is better than debt

Ones to avoid

Key points

Chapter 10. Flotations

Where the cash goes to the company

Key points

Chapter 11. Turning Companies Round

The concerns for dividend investors

Restoring dividends

Key points

Chapter 12. Rights Issues and Placings

Placings

Claw backs

Key points

Chapter 13. Takeovers

You must face reality

When the bid goes unconditional

Key points

Chapter 14. Ethical Investing

Why "unethical" shares may be cheap

Green companies

Key points

Chapter 15. Company Perks

Wide range of goodies

Advantages of perks

Disadvantages of perks

Perks overview

Key points

PART D: BUILDING A DIVIDEND PORTFOLIO

Chapter 16. Spotting Buying Opportunities

Buying rumours

Buying on dips

Key points

Chapter 17. Building a Portfolio Using Stock Filters

Online stock screens

Other stock-filtering services

Key points

Chapter 18. Dogs Might Fly

Adapting the O'Higgins system

Finding which shares have the highest yields

Key points

Chapter 19. Income Funds

Two types of fund

Advantages and disadvantages of funds

Where to get information

Income or growth?

Funds offer variety

Key points

Chapter 20. When to Sell

Gloomy trading statements

Profit warnings

Stop losses

Key points

Chapter 21. A Dividend Nightmare — BP

Why private investors were at an advantage

The explosion

Why the dividend had to go

The dangers of buying back in

Why you should fear the worst

How one piece of bad news leads to another

Key points

Chapter 22. Ten Dividend Rules