Easy Peasy #32: Build Your Dividend Portfolio & Live Off Dividends with Pre-Selected Stock Sets

Dividend Growing Stock Sets – Start with $300, $500, or $1,000 Weekly

Mar 20, 2025

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In this section, we share ready-made sets of promising dividend growth stocks with strong future dividend potential.
We also track performance and provide portfolio links for each set, so you can monitor past results and real-time updates.

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Intro

Markets Rally Post-Fed, but Stagflation Risks Linger

U.S. stocks rebounded Wednesday as investors cheered the Federal Reserve’s latest policy statement and Powell’s remarks, which reassured markets that rate cuts are still on the table this year.

The S&P 500 (+0.65%), Dow (+0.59%), and Nasdaq (+0.91%) all posted gains, while the Russell 2000 (+1.57%) led the way as small caps surged.

The Fed held interest rates at 4.25%-4.50%, as expected, but investors focused on new economic projections. The Fed slashed 2025 GDP growth forecasts to 1.7% (from 2.1%), raised the unemployment forecast to 4.4% (from 4.3%), and increased its core PCE inflation estimate to 2.8% (from 2.5%).

While this points to a slower economy with higher inflation, the market reacted positively to the Fed’s commitment to two rate cuts in 2025 and a slower pace of quantitative tightening (QT), reducing Treasury runoff to $5B/month from $25B/month.

Market breadth was strong, with advancers outpacing decliners 3:1, and 10 of 11 S&P sectors finished higher, led by Industrials, Financials, and Consumer Discretionary.

FOMC Meeting Highlights & Projections

Interest Rates: The Fed left rates unchanged at 4.25%-4.50%, as widely expected. Powell reiterated that policy remains restrictive, but the Fed is prepared to adjust based on incoming data.
GDP Growth: The 2025 GDP growth forecast was cut to 1.7% (from 2.1%), signaling that economic momentum is expected to slow further. Powell acknowledged that higher borrowing costs, tariffs, and weaker business investment are contributing to a cooling economy.
Unemployment: The unemployment forecast was raised to 4.4% (from 4.3%), suggesting that the job market may weaken in the coming months. While Powell emphasized that the labor market remains resilient, he also noted that companies are slowing hiring and job openings have begun to decline.

Sector Highlights

Retail, Consumer Staples & Restaurants

SIG jumped after reporting Q4 EPS of $6.62 (vs. $6.25 est.) and revenue of $2.4B (vs. $2.33B est.).
JILL saw revenue decline to $142.8M (vs. est. $142.3M), but still beat expectations.
OLLI authorized a $300M share repurchase after a slight Q4 miss.
CMG price target cut to $65 (from $68) at Stifel, citing weaker Q1 comps.
QSR upgraded to Buy at Argus ($80 PT) on global expansion potential.
GIS cut its FY25 organic sales outlook to -1.5%-2%, dragging shares lower.

Housing, Building Materials & Home Furnishing

MLM downgraded to Neutral at JP Morgan ($560 PT), while VMC was upgraded to Overweight ($285 PT).
WSM slumped despite a strong Q4 report, with management guiding FY25 revenue growth between -1.5% and +1.5%.

Autos & Transportation

TSLA upgraded to Overweight at Cantor ($425 PT) ahead of its Robotaxi launch in June.
GM & NVDA announced a partnership to develop AI-powered automotive technologies.
Hyundai India raising car prices by 3% starting April due to higher raw material costs.

Energy, Industrials & Materials

BA rose after its CFO reaffirmed Q1 tracking to expectations, noting March 787 deliveries similar to February.
MOS upgraded to Overweight at Barclays ($33 PT) after outlining growth plans at its investor day.
GEF announced a $50-$70/ton price hike on all URB paper grades, effective April 21.
PWR downgraded to Neutral at B Riley ($300 PT) on shifting E&C market conditions.

Banks, Brokers, Asset Managers

MS planning 2,000 job cuts, Bloomberg reports.
Oppenheimer downgraded GS, CG, and JEF over concerns of an M&A slowdown.
AFRM upgraded to Buy at Compass Point ($64 PT) after selloff from Walmart news.

Biotech & Pharma

BDTX entered a licensing deal with Servier.
GILD under regulatory scrutiny as the U.S. health department reviews the CDC’s HIV prevention division.
IMVT & ROIV surged after a successful Phase 3 trial for myasthenia gravis drug.

The Road Ahead

Markets remain volatile, with key catalysts ahead

1️⃣ Tariff risks remain a major overhang.

2️⃣ Economic data – PMIs, jobless claims, and housing market updates are next.

3️⃣ Earnings season approaching – market leaders will provide fresh guidance.

4️⃣ AI & Tech innovation – Nvidia’s GTC event continues to drive headlines.

Final Thought

The Fed’s messaging was dovish enough to fuel a rally, but the risk of stagflation is growing. Powell isn’t out of the woods yet. 🚀

But none of this news really matters to MaxDividends members. We're focused on growing the cash flow that lands in your pocket every month—not stressing over price swings or stock market noise.

At MaxDividends, we focus on a dividend growth strategy, perfect for investors seeking capital appreciation, solid safety, and a steadily growing income.
A rising dividend is a strong sign that a company is thriving—and wants its shareholders to thrive with it.

This week, we’ve rolled out a fresh batch of ready-to-go Stock Sets 💪.

Easy Peasy #32: Pre-Selected Dividend Growth Stock Sets

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