In this April 2025 edition of my dividend strategy analysis, I present a $100,000 dividend portfolio built around the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD), enhanced with a selection of high-yield and dividend-growth companies to optimize both income and risk-adjusted returns.

Following a 12.12% drop in SCHD, investors can now enter with a greater margin of safety. While SCHD offers a solid dividend yield and strong long-term dividend growth, it lacks exposure to the Real Estate sector and has limited capacity for immediate income generation. This portfolio addresses those gaps by integrating top income producers like VICI Properties, British American Tobacco, and Ares Capital — while also adding growth-oriented picks like Apple, Amazon, and American Express.

The result: a well-diversified, risk-reward optimized portfolio with a Weighted Average Dividend Yield of 5.06% and a 5-Year Dividend Growth Rate of 8.36%, combined with attractive valuations and strong earnings growth.

Whether you seek income stability or capital appreciation, this portfolio offers a strategic blueprint for long-term dividend investors navigating today’s volatile markets.

Read the full analysis on Seeking Alpha to explore each company’s role in this carefully constructed portfolio.