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A complete list of the businesses I’m actively tracking right now. Every stock on this WatchList is here because it passed a system — a system built over thousands of hours of thinking about one simple idea: Cash is king. And in dividend investing, cash has one job.

My August’s Dividend Watchlist: The Stocks I’m Betting On Now

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My personal life & business column — a mix of life moments, investing insights, and reflections on long-term wealth building.

Most people think you need an Ivy League degree, a Wall Street job, or a six-figure income to succeed in investing. Stephanie Mucha, the “Oracle of Buffalo,” had none of these advantages.

Instead, she turned her modest nurse’s salary into millions — without ever stepping foot in a trading firm or hiring a financial advisor.

Her secret? Patience, common sense, and a sharp eye for dividend-paying stocks. Let’s dig into her inspiring story and unpack the lessons every investor can learn from this extraordinary woman.

A Humble Beginning

From Poverty to Philanthropy

Born in 1917 to a poor family in Buffalo, Stephanie Mucha’s life was anything but glamorous. Her father died when she was young, and her family struggled to make ends meet.

Stephanie dropped out of high school to work as a maid, later training as a nurse to earn a better living. By 1944, she was serving wounded veterans during World War II — a role that even earned her a rare civilian recognition.

Her upbringing instilled in her a frugal mindset and a determination to make every dollar count. Little did she know, these traits would one day turn her into a millionaire.

The Turning Point

A Pacemaker and a Dead Dog

Stephanie’s journey into investing started in the 1950s with an unlikely catalyst — a dying dog.

While working as a nurse, she witnessed inventor Wilson Greatbatch test one of the first implantable pacemakers on a canine patient.

The device, later licensed to Medtronic, revived the dog, and Stephanie immediately saw its potential. She scraped together $250 to buy 50 shares of Medtronic.

Fast forward nearly seven decades, and that initial investment grew to a staggering $1.15 million by 2021 — thanks to Medtronic’s consistent dividend growth and the power of compounding.

With an average annual dividend growth rate of 8.8% over the past 20 years, Medtronic became one of the cornerstones of her portfolio.

Investing in What You Know: A Blueprint for Success

Stephanie wasn’t a financial expert, but she had a knack for investing in businesses she understood.

When her machinist husband once said, “You can’t build anything without nuts and bolts,” she took that insight seriously and invested in industrial companies like Snap-on and Illinois Tool Works.

Snap-on’s total return over 25 years exceeded 1,000%, proving her instincts right.

Her healthcare background also guided her stock picks. She invested in Pfizer, Merck & Co., and Johnson & Johnson — companies she believed would thrive as demand for medical innovation grew.

Johnson & Johnson, with its 60-year streak of dividend growth and a yield around 2.8%, is a perfect example of steady, reliable income.

Patience Pays: Why Stephanie Refused to Sell

Stephanie’s investment strategy came down to one simple rule: never sell.

Even during major market crashes — like the dot-com bubble in 2000 or the financial crisis in 2008 — she held her positions.

Her motto? “Keep a stiff upper lip.” And it worked.

Studies show that dividends account for roughly 40% of total market returns over time. For example, the S&P 500 delivered an average annual return of 10.5% from 1926 to 2021 — and reinvested dividends made a significant contribution to that performance.

Stephanie understood this long before it became widely discussed.

Dividends: The Silent Wealth Builders

Stephanie reinvested every dividend she received, letting compounding work over time.

Take Johnson & Johnson as an example. A $10,000 investment 30 years ago would be worth over $225,000 today with dividends reinvested — compared to about $90,000 without reinvestment.

Her portfolio wasn’t flashy — but it was effective. By focusing on dividend-paying companies, she built a steadily growing income stream.

Generosity Above All: A Millionaire’s True Legacy

Stephanie didn’t just accumulate wealth — she shared it. Over her lifetime, she donated millions to causes she cared about: $1 million each to five schools, including programs at the University at Buffalo, Scholarships for 30 Polish-American students, Support for veterans, inspired by her wartime service. Her philosophy was simple: “I can’t take it with me.” Her generosity earned her the nickname “Buffalo’s Angel.”

⭐️ 5 Rules from the Oracle of Buffalo

What can we learn from Stephanie Mucha?

Invest in what you understand. Whether it’s healthcare, industrials, or everyday products — stay within your circle of competence.

• Reinvest dividends. Compounding is the closest thing to financial magic.

• Stay patient. Selling in panic locks in losses.

• Start small, think big. She began with just $250.

• Give back. Wealth is also about the impact you leave behind.

Final Thoughts: The Power of Simplicity

Stephanie Mucha didn’t have a Wall Street background — but she didn’t need one. With patience, discipline, and a simple strategy, she turned a modest salary into millions. Her story proves that investing doesn’t have to be complicated. Buy what you understand. Reinvest your dividends. Stay in the game.

So let me ask you — what’s one simple habit that could completely change your investing journey over time?

Enjoy your Sunday coffee ☕

With respect for your well-being, Max

MaxDividends Mission: Helping people build growing passive income, retire early, and live off dividends.

Every Friday, I share what I’m buying — real moves, no fluff. The plan is simple: mix high yield with dividend growth to build income that grows year after year.

My goal is $12,000/month in ~10 years. This journey is open to anyone — it’s about creating a legacy, taking care of loved ones, and leaving behind a stream of income that outlives you.

⭐ For Premium Partners Only

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My personal life & business column — a mix of life moments, investing insights, and reflections on long-term wealth building.

Intro

Charlie Munger’s wisdom is legendary, and his insights on compounding are especially valuable. His famous rule says it best: “The first rule of compounding: Never interrupt it unnecessarily.”

Compounding is incredibly powerful — but it doesn’t work equally across all investments. Some businesses compound much faster than others. The key is simple: give it time.

Let’s walk through a quick example.

Example: Two Stocks, Two Outcomes

Imagine you invest $1,000 into each of two stocks.

• Stock A compounds at 20% per year.

• Stock B compounds at 2% per year.

After the first year:

• Stock A grows to $1,200.

• Stock B grows to $1,020.

Your portfolio is still fairly balanced — about 54% in Stock A and 46% in Stock B.

Now fast forward 10 years.

• Stock A grows to $6,192.

• Stock B reaches $1,219.

Now your portfolio looks very different.

• About 84% is in Stock A.

• Only 16% remains in Stock B.

That’s the hidden power of compounding.

Over time, your winners take up more space in your portfolio, while weaker performers naturally fade in importance — all without you lifting a finger.

In the short term, price declines can actually work in your favor. They give you the opportunity to buy strong businesses at better prices.

Over the long run, great businesses keep growing — and their stock prices tend to follow. This leads to larger positions in companies that consistently perform well.

That’s where MaxDividends fits in. By focusing on high-quality dividend businesses with strong compounding potential, you’re building a portfolio designed to grow both income and value over time.

It’s not just about picking stocks. It’s about understanding how compounding quietly does the heavy lifting. Patience and discipline are key. Stay invested, don’t interrupt the process, and let compounding work.

Dividends offer a calm, predictable way to fund your future. You’re not relying on market timing, and you’re not forced to sell. You’re collecting steady income.

You know what to expect, and you’re not at the mercy of short-term market swings. And that’s what makes the difference.

Are you giving compounding enough time to work — or are you interrupting it without realizing it?

Enjoy your Sunday coffee ☕

With respect for your well-being, Max

MaxDividends Mission: Helping people build growing passive income, retire early, and live off dividends.

Intro

Every Friday, I share what I’m buying — real moves, no fluff. The plan is simple: mix high yield with dividend growth to build income that grows year after year.

My goal is $12,000/month in ~10 years. This journey is open to anyone — it’s about creating a legacy, taking care of loved ones, and leaving behind a stream of income that outlives you.

Hi partners — Max here!

Well, friends, I’m back after a short vacation, and it’s great to be back at it. A few things happened while I was away, so let’s go through everything in order. I added a new company to the portfolio, and I also sold one position.

Even while I was taking time off, the portfolio added another $13 a month in dividend income. It’s always rewarding to see the income keep growing even when I’m busy doing completely different things. Piece by piece, the picture of financial freedom through dividends becomes clearer. I really enjoy this journey.

Below, you’ll find a detailed breakdown of what I bought this week, how the portfolio is positioned today, and what I’m planning for next week and beyond.

My portfolio is a fully transparent, real-time journey — no polishing the numbers and no adjusting results after the fact.

It’s a path anyone can follow with the right system, such as the MaxDividends Income System, and the MaxDividends Platform.

Alright — let’s get to today’s buys. So grab a coffee — let’s dig in ☕💪

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My personal life & business column — a mix of life moments, investing insights, and reflections on long-term wealth building.

Let’s talk about retirement income strategies — specifically, the debate between dividends and selling stocks.

If you ask me, dividends are the way to go. Why? Because they provide steady, predictable income without the stress of having to sell your investments.

I’ll tell you exactly how I feel. I hate selling my favorite companies.

The thought of selling a great business while it’s growing — I know I would regret that. Missing out on future growth and compounding is not something I want to experience again. The same goes for selling during a downturn.

Imagine having to sell a strong company at a 30–40% loss just because you need income. That would be extremely difficult mentally.

Dividends: Your Steady Retirement Paycheck 📆

Here’s the thing — dividends are much more predictable than stock prices.

They’re based on a company’s cash flow — the real engine of the business. And that tends to be far more stable than stock prices, which constantly move based on market sentiment.

Take a company like Apple, for example. Its stock price can swing significantly depending on how investors feel. But the dividend? It keeps coming.

That’s because dividends are tied to actual business performance, not daily market fluctuations.

With dividends, you’re receiving a portion of real earnings — not just relying on market expectations.

Why Dividends Work So Well in Retirement 🌟

Imagine you’ve built a portfolio that generates $60,000 a year in dividends.

That’s $5,000 per month — coming in consistently. Market drops? You still get paid. Market rises? You still get paid.

And here’s another key point — many strong dividend companies increase their payouts over time. That means your income can grow and help keep up with inflation.

Selling shares, on the other hand, creates a different problem. If the market declines, you may need to sell more shares just to cover the same expenses.

The 4% Rule: Not as Safe as It Seems 🚨

You’ve probably heard of the 4% rule.

It’s the idea that you can withdraw 4% of your portfolio each year, adjust for inflation, and not run out of money. But here’s the catch — it only works if the market plays nice.

Let’s say you retired with $1 million invested in the S&P 500 at the end of 1999. Following the 4% rule, you’d have around $330,000 left by 2023. That’s because the market went through two major downturns — the dot-com crash and the 2008 financial crisis.

Now let’s look at a different approach.

If you had invested that same $1 million in Dividend Aristocrats — companies with a long track record of increasing dividends — your portfolio could have grown to over $5.25 million by 2023. That’s a completely different outcome.

Dividends don’t just help you survive downturns — they help you move through them and come out stronger.

Bottom Line: Dividends for a Peaceful Retirement

Dividends offer a calm, predictable way to fund your retirement. You’re not relying on market timing. You’re not forced to sell.

Instead, you receive a steady stream of income. You know what to expect. You’re not at the mercy of short-term market swings. And that’s what makes the difference.

If you had to choose — would you rather rely on selling assets, or on income your portfolio keeps generating for you?

Enjoy your Sunday coffee ☕

With respect for your well-being, Max

MaxDividends Mission: Helping people build growing passive income, retire early, and live off dividends.

My personal life & business column — a mix of life moments, investing insights, and reflections on long-term wealth building.

Some days just stay with you. A simple day. Quiet. Real.

Time with family, a walk, a conversation, a cup of coffee. Those moments where nothing extraordinary is happening — but everything feels right. I love my wife. And I know she reads this — love you, babe.

We walk, talk, laugh, and remember things from years ago like they happened yesterday. The kids are at home, life is moving forward, and the sun is out.

And in those moments, you realize something important. This is it.

This is what I call pure value. Not numbers. Not charts. Not performance. Just real life — calm, present, enough. ❤️

And here’s the part I want to share with you. This feeling doesn’t come overnight. It takes time to build this kind of simplicity and peace of mind. And a big part of that comes from consistency.

There are days when I don’t make any new investments. I don’t add extra money. I don’t take any action. And yet — my income still grows. Quietly. In the background.

Look at this. A few snapshots from the same point in time — year by year:

• First year of my dividend journey — $383 in monthly passive income

• Last year — $4,482 in monthly passive income

• This year — $7,936 in monthly passive income

Same days. Different years. Step by step — moving higher. That’s how this works.

That’s the power of a well-built dividend portfolio. It keeps working even when you’re not. Over time, small things change. Coffee feels cheaper. Lunch feels easier. Life feels lighter.

I fell in love with this journey a long time ago. It takes time to get here. But once you feel it — you understand what really matters. And the good news is — you don’t have to figure it all out on your own.

What does “pure value” look like in your life right now?

Enjoy your Sunday coffee ☕

With respect for your well-being, Max

MaxDividends Mission: Helping people build growing passive income, retire early, and live off dividends.

Intro

Every Friday, I share what I’m buying — real moves, no fluff. The plan is simple: mix high yield with dividend growth to build income that grows year after year.

My goal is $12,000/month in ~10 years. This journey is open to anyone — it’s about creating a legacy, taking care of loved ones, and leaving behind a stream of income that outlives you.

Hi partners — Max here!

It was a busy week, but in a simple and very pleasant way.

First, as usual, my income grew again this week 🙂 It was a modest increase: just $12 more per month, or $144 more per year. Still, I’ll take it.

One week gave me the equivalent of about 28 free cups of coffee per year. But after 24 months on this journey, the portfolio is now producing almost $1,200 per month — or around $14,000 per year. And that no longer feels small. That feels real.

The second nice update is that now the first week of every month comes with a little bonus. At the beginning of the month, I usually reinvest the dividends I received the month before. So this time, on top of my regular $3,000 weekly investment, I added another $1,541 from June dividends. That feels meaningful — and very encouraging.

There’s more news too, but I’ll save that for dessert in the full review below.

Below, you’ll find a detailed breakdown of what I bought this week, how the portfolio is positioned today, and what I’m planning for next week and beyond.

My portfolio is a fully transparent, real-time journey — no polishing the numbers and no adjusting results after the fact.

It’s a path anyone can follow with the right system, such as the MaxDividends Income System, and the MaxDividends Platform.

Alright — let’s get to today’s buys. So grab a coffee — let’s dig in ☕💪

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Every Friday, I share what I’m buying — real moves, no fluff. The plan is simple: mix high yield with dividend growth to build income that grows year after year.

My goal is $12,000/month in ~10 years. This journey is open to anyone — it’s about creating a legacy, taking care of loved ones, and leaving behind a stream of income that outlives you.

Intro

Hi partners — Max here!

This week I honestly didn’t pay much attention to the market and barely even looked at my portfolio. We’ve been working hard to launch the Buy/Hold/Sell system inside the MaxDividends Research Platform, and this week we successfully rolled out the pilot version for our Premium members. So that’s where most of my focus has been.

That said, I still found time to add a few more stocks to my portfolio. As always, I stuck with dividend growth companies — businesses with high Business Quality Scores and strong Dividend Safety Scores.

And yes, my dividend income keeps growing.

This week I hit another all-time high: $1,127 per month in projected dividend income — $6 more per month than last week.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I took mine 24 months ago.

Oh, and next week marks the beginning of July, which means it’s time to reinvest my June dividend income. Another $1,554 will be added to my regular weekly investments, and at this point, that’s becoming a meaningful amount. The passive income snowball just keeps getting bigger.

Below, you’ll find a detailed breakdown of what I bought this week, how the portfolio is positioned today, and what I’m planning for next week and beyond.

My portfolio is a fully transparent, real-time journey — no polishing the numbers and no adjusting results after the fact.

It’s a path anyone can follow with the right system, such as the MaxDividends Income System, and the MaxDividends Platform.

Alright — let’s get to today’s buys. So grab a coffee — let’s dig in ☕💪

Read more

My personal life & business column — a mix of life moments, investing insights, and reflections on long-term wealth building.

At MaxDividends, we don’t try to predict the market.

But one thing is certain — at some point, the market will go through another crash. Maybe not today. Maybe not soon. But eventually, it happens. That’s part of the game.

And here’s the important part:

You don’t have to fear market crashes. You can use them to your advantage.

Let me walk you through four simple principles.

Step 1: Don’t Panic Sell

The biggest mistake investors make is selling in panic. Markets drop, emotions kick in, and people rush into “safer” assets — often locking in their losses. That’s how wealth moves from the impatient to the patient.

Stay calm. Don’t hand over your future to someone else.

Step 2: Think in Terms of Income, Not Price

There’s a different way to look at your portfolio. Instead of saying: “My portfolio is worth $1,000,000”

Think: “My portfolio generates $40,000 a year in income” That shift changes everything.

Prices move. Income — especially from strong businesses — tends to be far more stable. And that’s what really matters.

Step 3: Buy When Others Are Selling

This is where things get interesting. If you focus on income, market declines become opportunities. The same businesses — just at lower prices. Which means higher yields and better long-term returns.

“Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.” — Warren Buffett

When others are selling out of fear, that’s when disciplined investors step in.

Step 4: Focus on High-Quality Businesses

Not all companies are built the same. The goal is to own businesses that can keep paying — and growing — their dividends over time. Reliable. Profitable. Resilient.

That’s the foundation…. or not?

Because the truth is — you won’t be fully prepared for moments like this. None of us ever are. It’s completely normal to feel stress. It’s normal to make mistakes.

What matters most is something else. It’s who you’re surrounded by.

Being around people who’ve been through this before — more than once. People who can tell you, in the middle of the storm: “Stay calm. Just watch how we handle this. You’re okay. We’ve got you.”

That’s what really makes the difference. Not a checklist of rules that seem simple — until the moment comes to actually follow them.

That’s what I’m building with MaxDividends.

Enjoy your Sunday coffee ☕

With respect for your well-being, Max

***

MaxDividends Community

We’ve built a small, private community where conversations like this happen every day. No noise, no hot takes — just people focused on building wealth for the long term. There’s no public link — we add people manually to keep the quality high.

At the core of our success is the MaxDividends Research Platform — the primary tool we rely on for every stage of dividend investing.

From discovering high-quality dividend stocks and analyzing payout sustainability to monitoring portfolio performance and identifying new opportunities, the platform provides the research, data, and insights our community uses every day to make informed decisions with confidence.

Try the MaxDividends Research Platform →

MaxDividends Mission: Helping people build growing passive income, retire early, and live off dividends.

Try the MaxDividends Research Platform →

Intro

Every Friday, I share exactly what I’m buying — real positions, real decisions, no fluff.

My goal is simple: build a portfolio that generates $12,000 per month in dividend income within the next 10 years — creating a growing stream of income for myself and my family for years to come.

Over time, I’ve simplified my process and now rely on one tool above all others: the MaxDividends Research Platform. It helps me find quality dividend stocks, track dividend growth, and stay focused on long-term income investing.

Hi partners — Max here!

What a week it’s been.

The dividend snowball keeps getting a little bigger. New dividend payments hit the account, and many of the dividend increases announced earlier this year are now starting to show up in the numbers.

Over the past week alone, my projected dividend income increased by more than ~$20 per month — that’s over $240 per year in additional income. Not bad for a single week of progress.

Outside of investing, I’ve been spending a lot of time doing things I enjoy. I’ve been running regularly, started using the outdoor fitness equipment at the park, and have been staying active with the kids. Between soccer practice, jiu-jitsu classes, and trips to the pool, there’s been plenty to keep us busy.

And that’s really the best part of this whole journey.

I get to spend more time doing what matters most, while the portfolio continues doing its job in the background. That was always the plan. Build a collection of great businesses, let dividends grow over time, reinvest consistently, and allow compounding to do the heavy lifting.

Week by week, that plan is becoming more visible.

Below, you’ll find a detailed breakdown of what I bought this week, how the portfolio is positioned today, and what I’m planning for next week and beyond.

My portfolio is a fully transparent, real-time journey — no polishing the numbers and no adjusting results after the fact.

It’s a path anyone can follow with the right system and the MaxDividends Platform.

Alright — let’s get to today’s buys. So grab a coffee — let’s dig in ☕💪

My Dividend Portfolio. Goal: $12K in 120 Months — Month 24, Week 4: This Week’s Buys

My Latest Dividend Milestone

• ✅ $100/month – hit at Month 3

• ✅ $250/month – hit at Month 5

• ✅ $500/month – hit at Month 10

• ✅ $750/month – hit at Month 16

• ✅ $1,000/month – hit at Month 23

• 🎯 $1,250/month → 89% complete

Track the moment your dividends start paying for your life. The MaxDividends Research Platform. Dividend Tracker. Goals.

These Bills Are Already Being Paid by Dividends

• ✅ Phone + Internet — $120

• ✅ Utilities — $350

• ✅ Coffee, lunches, small joys — $400

This is what financial freedom looks like — one expense at a time. MaxDividends Research Platform. Dividend Tracker. Goals.

My Current Goal

• 🎯 Groceries Top-Up — $245 / $700

Financial freedom in progress. The MaxDividends Research Platform. Dividend Tracker. Goals. Progress.

My Next Goals

• 🎯 Gym + Streaming + Family Apps — $200

• 🎯 Weekend activities with the kids — $300

• 🎯 Insurance — $300

• 🎯 1–2 US flights or a short weekend getaway — $700

• 🎯 Rent: $2,700/month

These expenses are next in line for my dividends. MaxDividends Research Platform. Dividend Tracker. Goals.

💵 The Dividend Flywheel

My dividend income is now running at about $1,116 per month. It’s not a headline number. It won’t trend on social media. But it does matter.

Because this is what real progress looks like when income is built the right way. Quiet. Measurable. The income base keeps rising.

Every reinvested dollar tightens the structure. Every dividend hike raises the floor. And over time, that turns into momentum you can actually feel.

Portfolio Snapshot

• Total Invested (cash I personally added): ~$358,493

• Current Market Value: ~$380,778

• Annual Dividends: ~$13,393 (+$250 vs. last week)

• Dividend Yield on Cost: ~3.75%

The snowball keeps rolling — heavier every week.

🔔 Recent Dividend Raises: 20 so far — Year to Date (2026)

• Greif Inc +10%

• BestBuy +1.05%

• Johnson & Johnson +3.10%

• PepsiCo +4%

• Mueller Industries +40%

Alright partners, there’s quite a bit to talk about this week.

One of the more interesting developments this week came from FedEx.

💡 FDX — FedEx Spin-Off Update

If you own shares of FedEx, make sure to check your brokerage account. The company recently completed the spin-off of its freight business, creating a new independent company that now trades under the ticker FDXF.

I own 54 shares of FDX in my portfolio. Under the terms of the transaction, shareholders received 1 share of FDXF for every 2 shares of FDX owned. As a result, I received 27 shares of FDXF.

If your FDX position wasn’t evenly divisible by two, any fractional shares were generally paid out in cash and credited directly to your account.

In my case, FDXF doesn’t fit particularly well with the long-term strategy I’m building here. The business itself may do perfectly fine, but every position in the portfolio has a specific role, and I prefer to keep the portfolio focused on companies that closely align with my dividend growth objectives.

Because of that, I sold the FDXF shares and redeployed the proceeds into existing positions that I currently have the highest conviction in.

Every Friday, I share what I’m buying. Use it as a source of ideas for your own portfolio.

I explain the rules and decision-making process behind every purchase, so you can take what’s most useful and adapt it to your own investing journey.

I also share my progress openly — to motivate you to keep going, get started, or simply stay consistent when markets get noisy.

Over time, I’ve simplified my process and now rely on one tool above all others: the MaxDividends Research Platform. It helps me find quality dividend stocks, track dividend growth, and stay focused on long-term income investing.

Try the MaxDividends Research Platform →

MaxDividends Mission: Helping people build growing passive income, retire early, and live off dividends.

Try the MaxDividends Research Platform →

Intro

A complete list of the businesses I’m actively tracking right now. Every stock on this WatchList is here because it passed a system — a system built over thousands of hours of thinking about one simple idea: Cash is king. And in dividend investing, cash has one job.

My June’s Dividend Watchlist: The Stocks I’m Betting On Now

A complete list of the businesses I’m actively tracking right now

Hi, 👑 Partners — Max here.

I spend a lot of time doing the same thing: reading annual reports, reviewing cash flows, and studying how businesses perform not on their best days, but across entire economic cycles.

This WatchList is the result of hundreds of hours of research. Every company on this list earned its place by passing a system I’ve refined through years of dividend investing.

📌 Today’s Table of Contents

🏆 Last Month’s Top 3 Performers - The three strongest performers from my WatchList over the past month.

👀 Shortlist of Companies I’m Watching Right Now - The businesses currently receiving the most attention from me.

📋 My Complete Dividend WatchList - The full list of dividend growth companies I’m actively tracking today.

🏆 Top Performers Since Last Month's WatchList

Every month, a few companies from my WatchList pull ahead of the pack.

These were the three strongest performers from the names I was tracking in the previous edition. While past performance is never a guarantee of future results, it’s always useful to review which businesses attracted the market’s attention — and why.

👉 Here are the top 3 performers since last month’s WatchList:

🥉 +38.49% LRCX — Lam Research Corp

Lam Research is one of the world’s leading suppliers of wafer fabrication equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing. Its systems help chipmakers produce increasingly advanced processors and memory chips, making the company a critical part of the global semiconductor supply chain.

As demand for AI infrastructure, advanced computing, and data centers continues to accelerate, semiconductor equipment providers remain among the primary beneficiaries of rising capital spending across the industry.

🥈 +40.22% KLAC — KLA Corp

KLA is a technology company specializing in process control, inspection, and yield management solutions for semiconductor manufacturers. Its tools help chipmakers identify defects, improve production efficiency, and maximize output from increasingly complex manufacturing processes.

As semiconductor production becomes more advanced, quality control and process optimization become even more essential, strengthening KLA’s position within the broader semiconductor ecosystem.

🥇 +52.25% AMAT — Applied Materials Inc

Applied Materials is one of the world’s largest suppliers of equipment, software, and services used to manufacture advanced semiconductors. Its technologies support nearly every stage of the chip production process and are deeply embedded within the industry’s long-term growth trends.

The continued expansion of artificial intelligence, cloud computing, high-performance computing, and next-generation data centers has driven renewed investor interest in semiconductor infrastructure companies, helping Applied Materials emerge as the strongest performer from last month’s WatchList.

The full edition of my June 2026 WatchList is available inside the MaxDividends Research Platform, featuring every company I’m actively tracking today, along with valuation insights, dividend metrics, and additional opportunities not included in this preview.

MaxDividends Research Platform. Tools → Premium Content.

Try the MaxDividends Research Platform →

MaxDividends Mission: Helping people build growing passive income, retire early, and live off dividends.

My personal life & business column — a mix of life moments, investing insights, and reflections on long-term wealth building.

In simple terms, when you buy a stock, you’re buying a piece of a real company.

“You’re not just buying a stock; you’re buying a stake in a business. If the business does well, you do well. And, of course, it helps if you didn’t pay through the nose.” — Warren Buffett

Let’s look at two scenarios — both worth $100,000:

• A 50% stake in a successful $200,000 small business — maybe one owned by someone you know in your neighborhood

• 0.005% ownership in a $2 billion public company

Same money. Same idea. But here’s the interesting part.

If you owned half of a real business, would you think about selling it the next day?

And then buying it back two days later… just because you spotted a “head and shoulders” pattern on a chart?

Real businesses don’t even have daily price charts. They have something else to focus on — making money, serving customers, and creating real value.

Yet in the stock market, people buy and sell pieces of businesses every single day — often without thinking twice. That’s where mindset makes all the difference.

When you start thinking like a business owner, you naturally shift toward long-term decisions. You focus less on price swings — and more on the quality of the business itself.

“The single greatest edge an investor can have is a long-term orientation.” — Seth Klarman

Holding for the long run means owning companies you believe will grow over time. Businesses with durable advantages. Strong models. Real staying power.

“Time is the friend of the wonderful company, the enemy of the mediocre.” — Warren Buffett

There’s also a practical side to it.

Long-term investing is more tax-efficient. You don’t pay capital gains taxes until you sell — which means your money keeps compounding without interruption.

And this mindset fits perfectly with income investing.

Owning a business long-term is about the cash flow it produces. Dividend-paying companies return part of that cash to you — just like a private business would.

A company that can raise its dividends year after year, decade after decade — that’s what I call a truly strong business.

Buy it at a fair price. Hold it. Let the income grow. That’s the foundation. And that’s exactly where MaxDividends fits in.

Do you think of the stocks you own as businesses — or just as prices on a screen?

Enjoy your Sunday coffee ☕

With respect for your well-being, Max

***

MaxDividends Community

We’ve built a small, private community where conversations like this happen every day. No noise, no hot takes — just people focused on building wealth for the long term. There’s no public link — we add people manually to keep the quality high.

At the core of our success is the MaxDividends Research Platform — the primary tool we rely on for every stage of dividend investing.

From discovering high-quality dividend stocks and analyzing payout sustainability to monitoring portfolio performance and identifying new opportunities, the platform provides the research, data, and insights our community uses every day to make informed decisions with confidence.

Get the Full MaxDividends Experience

🔓 Unlock MaxDividends Premium →

MaxDividends Mission: Helping people build growing passive income, retire early, and live off dividends.

My personal life & business column — a mix of life moments, investing insights, and reflections on long-term wealth building.

Let me take you back to the moment I finished an Ironman.

If you’re not familiar — that’s a 4 km open water swim, 180 km on the bike, and then a full 42 km marathon run. All in one day.

Why did I do it?

Honestly, it doesn’t fully make sense from a purely logical standpoint. But it was a goal I had carried with me for years.

It’s one of those things — once you’ve done it, you realize that what once felt impossible… isn’t. Here’s what most people don’t see.

The journey took three years. Six days a week. Around 2–3 hours per day on average. Sometimes more. Sometimes a lot more.

And life didn’t pause during that time. Things happen. People get sick. Children are born. People pass away.

During those years, my first child was born. We moved into the apartment we had dreamed about. And just a couple of months before the race, my father passed away.

There were plenty of reasons to quit. But I didn’t.

And then — after nearly 13 hours — I crossed the finish line and heard: “You are an Ironman.” That moment… it held everything. My wife and I stood there, emotional, exhausted, proud.

💪 It was the peak.

But here’s the part people rarely talk about. The hardest moment isn’t before. It’s not even during. It’s after.

Because after the high — life keeps going. And finding new motivation? That’s the real challenge. This pattern shows up everywhere.

First comes the excitement. Then the drop. And after that — either you stop, or you keep going slowly, building something real. It all depends on what’s driving you. Investing works the same way.

A quick win — especially in a strong market — feels great. Almost addictive. But that feeling doesn’t last.

And then comes the phase that actually matters. The part where you keep showing up. Where euphoria turns into habit.

Because once it becomes a habit — it gets easier. Much easier. You stop chasing emotions — and start building something that lasts.

💡 If you want to stay in the game long enough to see real results, you need a clear answer to one simple question:

Why are you doing this — and is your answer strong enough to keep you going when the excitement fades?

Enjoy your Sunday coffee ☕

With respect for your well-being, Max

***

MaxDividends Community

We’ve built a small, private community where conversations like this happen every day. No noise, no hot takes — just people focused on building wealth for the long term. There’s no public link — we add people manually to keep the quality high.

At the core of our success is the MaxDividends Research Platform — the primary tool we rely on for every stage of dividend investing.

From discovering high-quality dividend stocks and analyzing payout sustainability to monitoring portfolio performance and identifying new opportunities, the platform provides the research, data, and insights our community uses every day to make informed decisions with confidence.

Try the MaxDividends Research Platform →

MaxDividends Mission: Helping people build growing passive income, retire early, and live off dividends.