2012 Dividend bull period update to the update (to the update!) etc. etc.

National Grid @ 699p, +2.5p (0.36%).

So the big one dropped in yesterday, from National Grid, less than 24 hours after the company's shares hit a new 52 week closing high of 700.33p.
700.33p (Ofgem concerns to one side), still places the shares on a very attractive forward yield of 5.84%.

Anyway, this latest receipt, and the current share price of 699p, means that the company have given me gains on my investment of 46.85%, 18.06% of which is dividends. 

This latest receipt also brings to a close a real bull period for dividends into my portfolio as detailed below:

01 Jun - BAE @ 11.3p per share - Received
08 Jun - William Hill @ 6.7p per share - Received 
13 Jun - Centrica @ 11.11p per share - Received 
14 Jun - Microsoft @ 10.97p per share (est. based on $1.5491:£1 and 15% tax) - Received 
20 Jun - Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets @ 7.53p per share - Received 
27 Jun - BP @ 8c per share - Received 
04 July - Rolls-Royce @ 10.6p per share - Received 
06 July - Tesco @ 10.13p per share - Received 
31 July - General Electric @ 9.23p per share (after exchange rate and 15% tax) - Received
01 Aug - Vodafone @ 6.47p per share - Received
15 Aug - National Grid @ 25.5p per share - Received

But as these things continuously cycle forward I can already see new ex dividend entitlements in the bag from BG; BP; IG Group; and SSE.
And with my portfolio (July 2012: Portfolio update.), currently carrying a forecast yield in the region of 4% (if held for 12 months), dividends play a significant part of my strategy both as a return and for growth once re-invested.

If things run their course in a similar fashion to last year/this year (My first dividend of 2012 (and 2011 dividends in profile).), then my next big peak for dividends should come in January with National Grid and Rolls-Royce (my 2 largest portfolio holdings), paying out in the same month.

Slow and steady (but sure), progress then.

Related posts:
- July 2012: Portfolio update.
- 2012 Dividend bull period update (to the update!).
- Dividend update: ex dividends to roll in.
- My first dividend of 2012 (and 2011 dividends in profile).