Buy: TGT

Finally, a drop in the market, and I picked up 90 shares of TGT, adding $216 to my dividend income. My total forward income is now $5,745.89. My goal for 2016 is $5900 forward div income, and I want to say this is 'yellow'. I'm only funding this with div income, no fresh capital, so I think I can find another $155 in div income to meet that goal. However, it's not all about that one goal. I have ARLP and TAL on my sell list. Both of these have cut their div, but are still generating quite a nice sum. I'll sell sometime this year, but I'm not sure that I will be able to cover the $550 drop in div with other stocks. I'm willing to take the short term hit though, if it means a more stable growth portfolio in the long run.

Sell: COP

As I have mentioned before, COP cut their dividend and landed on my watch to sell list. I waited a bit and COP nicely recovered from their bottom, and I was able unload all my shares at a minimal capital loss. Including dividends I came out well ahead. I'm still in CVX, and will remain so unless their also cut their dividend. They haven't raised, but with oil prices recovering who knows where the future will take us.

I haven't sold stocks in a long time, and I'm happy with COP's ride overall. It helped me with my div strategy and gained me solid divs. It feels good to sell a stock that cut their div.

Meanwhile the proceeds from COP will add to my growing pile of cash, and I'm looking to buy soon. But I haven't made a purchase yet this year.

Dividend Report May 2016

May was a good month. Pretty mellow overall. No trades. 

Stats:

• Income: $ 753.19
• Trailing 12 months: $ 5,144.63
• Forward 12 months: $5,599.89

Markets have gone up quite a bit, making it attractive to dump COP, TAL and ARLP. I haven't pulled the trigger yet.