What Albert Einstein Would Invest in Today
by Alexander Green, Investment U Chief Investment Strategist
Monday, November 26, 2012: Issue #1912
Albert Einstein wasn’t famous as an investor. He was a genius who revolutionized theoretical physics. But if he were alive today, it’s pretty clear what he would be doing with his money. And you should be doing it, too.
Let me explain…
It’s a truism that when times are good, investors tend to forget about risk and focus on opportunity. When times are bad, investors tend to forget about opportunity and focus on risk.
This is exactly the opposite of what they should be doing, of course.
But today you have a great opportunity to both limit risk and generate superb returns in your stock portfolio with – stifle that yawn – stodgy, old dividend-paying stocks. These investments aren’t nearly as boring as you may think. And in the decade ahead, their returns are likely to be outstanding.
The Basics of Dividend-Paying Stocks
Let’s start with the basics. Dividend yields are a company’s annualized payment divided by its share price. When share prices fall – as many have over the last month – yields rise.
It still astonishes me that investors are willing to lend money to the U.S. Treasury for the next 10 years at less than 2%. What a terrible bet, one that virtually guarantees a negative, real (i.e. after inflation) return over the next decade.
A far better bet is a diversified portfolio of dividend-paying stocks. Understand that, over the long run, stock market performance is tied to economic growth. And – news flash – the growth outlook in the developed world today isn’t exactly torrid.
Understand furthermore that over the eight decades through 2010, dividends contributed 44% of the stock market’s return, according to Fidelity Investments. Sometimes it was much more. During the 1970s, for example, dividends generated 71% of returns.
Dividend stocks today represent an unusual opportunity. U.S. corporations are sitting on $2 trillion in cash, a record amount. More S&P 500 companies have initiated or raised dividends this year through August than during the same period in any of the last seven years. And there’s plenty of room for more increases. Payments are less than one third of profits, a historic low.
If you’re a growth-oriented investor, you probably don’t think much about dividends. You’re interested in doubling or tripling your money. And with a bit of patience, you can.
The Historical Returns of Dividend-Paying Stocks
Analysts often talk about the lost decade, how stocks have essentially returned nothing since the market highs in the spring of 2000. But the story has been very different with dividend-paying stocks.
Over the past decade – with dividends reinvested:
- Oil producer Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) has returned 200%.
- Altria Group (NYSE: MO), the U.S. tobacco giant, has returned more than 300%.
- Even musty old Con Edison (NYSE: ED) – a utility that was born 23 years before Thomas Edison – has returned 130% over the period.
Today there are plenty of blue-chip stocks with decent (and growing) dividends attached. Consider Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG), Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM), AT&T (NYSE: T), Merck (NYSE: MRK), or Verizon (NYSE: VZ).
Or, for a more-diversified approach, plunk for a few shares of PowerShares Dividend Achievers Portfolio (NYSE: PFM), the Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (NYSE: VYM), or the WisdomTree Total Dividend Fund (NYSE: DTD).
Dividend stocks alone won’t generate a mouth-watering return. But dividends will rise over time – and surprising things happen when you reinvest them. Picture a snowball rolling downhill.
Albert Einstein understood this. As he observed, money compounding “is the most powerful force in the universe.”
Good Investing,
Alex
Any investment contains risk. Please see our disclaimer.
4 Responses to “What Albert Einstein Would Invest in Today”
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Who am I to argue with the brilliance of an Einstein; QUOTE: “money compounding “is the most powerful force in the universe.” however given todays economic realities one would be tempted to turn that observation on its head.\\\\\\
The reality is that our fractional reserve banking system that brings our currency into existence as DEBT that demands uncreated interest payments compounds the DEBT into an un-payable pyramid that turns the 99% into perpetual debt slaves!
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Then Myron?
What to do?
What do you sugest to invest in?
Regards from Argentina
rodolfo
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Maybe I’m less on the fence than Myron, but I think Einstein investing with dividend stocks seems like a perfect match. Dividends have long been seen as a sort of safehaven for investors looking for steady, long-term returns. It just makes sense for a brilliant man to go this route.
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Hi!, Patrons Of Investment U Et Al:
Thomas Edison over rides Einstein by stating that no one on this Planet knows 1 millionth of 1% about anything but let’s believe that Einstein knew something minimal at least. Nobody therefore has the perfected crystal ball regards future rates of inflating or taxes on capital gains nor dividends do they? The economy could get worse and then again the economy could get better; depending upon how the motives of politicians and their Central Bank allies respond to economic events in the future? We are at risk aren’t we looking forward to QE Infinity on a world wide scale? Keeping interest rates close to zero can’t last and continuing to post record deficits to kick the can down the road won’t be forever plus should all fiat currencies collapse who will hold purchasing power then? Hope has NEVER worked in the markets so far and it doesn’t look like future hopes will stimulate US out of the Kenesian mess we’re all involved in today does it? As a past survivor of the Great Depression once commented to me: “The liars can figure but the figures can’t lie.” We have been living the lies for decades and it’s doubtful that any kind of dividend income etc. will save US now huh? Our past is strewn with the cadavors of dead currencies from America, France, Germany, Zimbawe, China, Hungry, et cetera add infinitum. What were their investors thinking, as their currencies plummeted to zero value? Who again we might ask has the perfect crystal ball with which to measure all the future economic events? In the meantime live & let live, as OUR future is totally unknown at this time!
RUSS SMITH, CALIFORNIA (One Of OUR Broke States)
resmith@wcisp.com
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