Dividend Growth Milestone: December 2025 Portfolio Analysis

 As 2025 draws to a close, it is time to reflect on the growth of the portfolio over the last twelve months. December has traditionally been a "heavy" month for distributions, and this year was no exception. By looking at the raw data, we can see exactly how the portfolio has evolved since the same time last year.

The 2025 market was defined by "record-breaking resilience." While the S&P 500 saw a total return of about 17.9%, much of that was driven by earnings growth and continued AI momentum. However, for income investors, the real story lies in the steady climb of those monthly and quarterly payouts.

The portfolio concluded 2025 with a total December dividend payout of $4,360.57, representing an 8.14% year-over-year (YoY) increase from December 2024’s total of $4,032.19. Despite a volatile spring defined by trade "reciprocal tariffs," the portfolio's core holdings—specifically AVGO, SCHD, and DFS—delivered robust organic growth, outpacing the 2025 S&P 500 average dividend growth rate of approximately 5.5%.

Macro Review: The 2025 "Resilience" Rally

The 2025 market was characterized by what analysts call "Record-Breaking Resilience." While the spring saw significant volatility due to the "reciprocal tariff" announcements, the market found its footing in the second half of the year. The S&P 500 concluded 2025 with a total return of 17.9%, but for the desidividend strategy, the focus remained on cash-flow reliability.

The "December Drivers": Top Performing Holdings

The growth this month was driven by a mix of organic dividend raises and strategic share accumulation (DRIP).

• COF: A standout performer with a jump from $136.05 to $159.71 (+17.39%). The financial sector's strength in late 2025 provided a significant boost to our year-end totals.

• SCHD (Schwab US Dividend Equity): Our core ETF position saw distributions rise from $85.08 to $115.04. This 35% increase is a direct result of aggressive reinvestment during the mid-year market dips.

• AVGO (Broadcom): Maintaining its status as a "Growth & Income" hybrid, Broadcom delivered a solid 11.14% increase in payouts YoY, fueled by the ongoing AI infrastructure expansion.

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Analysis: Hitting 102.90% of the Goal

Reaching $23,644.46 in total annual dividends against a goal of $22,978.00 is a testament to the power of the Dividend Growth Investing (DGI) framework. This "over-performance" was primarily driven by:

1. Organic Dividend Hikes: Companies like LMT, JNJ, and SHEL raised their payouts at rates exceeding the 2025 inflation average.

2. The Reinvestment Engine: By staying fully invested and allowing dividends to purchase more shares throughout the 2025 "Spring Dip," we effectively lowered our cost basis and increased our forward yield.

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Looking Forward to 2026: The Path to Financial Sovereignty

As we enter 2026, the strategy remains steadfast but watchful. With a new fiscal environment emerging, we are focusing on:

• Defensive Yield: Strengthening positions in Consumer Staples (KO, HSY) to hedge against potential 2026 cooling.

• Yield on Cost (YOC) Tracking: We will continue to monitor the YOC of our early 2024 tranches, which are now beginning to yield significantly higher than the current market average.

2025 Goal:

I officially finished the year with $23,644.46 in total dividends, hitting 102.90% of my annual goal. Exceeding my $22,978 target by over $666 gives me a massive boost in confidence (and capital) as I pivot into the 2026 growth phase.

Conclusion

2025 was the year the desidividend portfolio moved from "stable" to "surging." Surpassing our annual goal by nearly 3% provides a massive psychological and financial headstart as we begin the 2026 journey.

June 2025 Dividend Breakdown: Who Paid Me and How Much?

June has come and gone, and if you’re anything like me, you were eagerly waiting to see those dividend deposits hit your account. Well, I’m excited to share that June 2025 was my biggest dividend month ever! Let’s dive into the numbers, highlight some standouts, and chat about what went well (and what didn’t) in my portfolio.

The Big Picture

Total dividends received in June 2025:
💰 $3,703.83
That’s an increase of $645.63 compared to June 2024. Not too shabby!

Portfolio Highlights

Here’s a quick snapshot of where things stand:

• Number of stocks and funds: 51

• Highest single payout: VMCPX ($488.22)

• Lowest: Several at $0 (sold or non-payers)

• Average dividend per holding: $72.54

Year-Over-Year Growth

If you look at the past few years, the growth is pretty clear:

Year	Total Dividends
2020	$1,202.73
2021	$1,407.44
2022	$2,063.31
2023	$2,596.39
2024	$3,058.20
2025	$3,703.83

That’s a steady climb—just the kind of compounding we all love to see.

Top Performers

Some holdings really pulled their weight this month. Here are the biggest contributors:

• VMCPX: $488.22 (up $71.22 from last year!)

• VMCIX: $353.65 (up $67.01)

• SCHD: $169.62 (up $44.17)

• AVGO: $154.99 (up $17.86)

• LMT: $130.25 (up $7.43)

It’s clear that my mutual funds and ETFs are doing a lot of the heavy lifting these days, and I’m totally fine with that. The stability and consistent growth are exactly what I’m after.

Laggards & Changes

Of course, not everything was sunshine and rainbows. A few positions either dropped or disappeared:

• VSCPX: Down $20.32 from last year

• DFS: Down $17.24 (now replaced by Capital One)

• VFC, VTMGX, VIMAX: No dividends—they’ve been sold or are no longer in the portfolio

That’s the reality of investing: sometimes you have to make tough calls and move on from underperformers.

What I Learned

• Funds are King: My largest payouts are now coming from mutual funds and ETFs. They offer diversification and steady growth—hard to beat!

• Blue Chips Still Deliver: Companies like JNJ, AMGN, PRU, and ED keep quietly increasing their dividends year after year.

• Portfolio Pruning Pays Off: Selling laggards and reallocating to stronger performers has really boosted my overall income.

We’re halfway through 2025, and it’s a great time to check in on dividend progress. Here’s how things are shaping up so far:

📅 2025 Monthly Dividend Breakdown

Month	Dividend Received
Jan	$675.94
Feb	$785.63
Mar	$3,633.21
Apr	$768.91
May	$808.58
Jun	$3,703.83

Year-to-date total: $10,376.09.

🎯 Progress Toward 2025 Goal

• Annual dividend goal: $22,978

• YTD dividends received: $10,376.09

• Percent of goal achieved: 45.16%

At the halfway point of 2025, I’ve reached just over 45% of my annual dividend goal. With March and June already coming in as my two biggest months so far, I feel like I’m right on track. If the second half of the year keeps up this momentum, I’m confident I’ll be in a great spot to hit—or maybe even surpass—my target.

I’ll keep tracking my progress, stay invested, and see how the rest of 2025 plays out!

Final Thoughts

June 2025 was a milestone month for my dividend journey. The portfolio changes I made over the past year are paying off, and the power of compounding is more obvious than ever. I’m excited to see where things go from here.

If you’re building your own dividend portfolio, stay patient, keep learning, and don’t be afraid to make changes when something isn’t working. The results speak for themselves!

How did your June dividends look?
Drop a comment and let’s celebrate those wins (and share what we learned from the losses).