Dividend Investing Checklist for Busy Investors
Yield alone is a trap. Sustainable dividends come from cash generation and capital allocation discipline.
Checklist
- Business quality — durable demand, reasonable leverage
- Payout vs free cash flow — not just vs accounting earnings
- Dividend growth — history and room to continue
- Coverage under stress — what happens in a mild recession?
- Total return — income plus (or minus) price path
Red flags
- Yield spikes after a price collapse without a thesis for recovery
- Debt-funded distributions
- “High yield” in structurally declining industries without a turnaround plan
Using AI
Have an AI memo summarize fundamentals and recent news before you chase yield. Then verify the cash-flow claims yourself. Almorex overview.