Exact Fidelity snapshot captured August 10, 2026, at 2:47 p.m.
ET. Because this was an intraday capture, market values may differ from
the closing statement.
August 2026: The
Portfolio Is $209 From $10,000
The dividend portfolio is approaching its next milestone.
Excluding the money-market position and the pending McDonald’s
settlement, the 28 stocks in the SEP-IRA were worth
$9,790.64 on August 10. Fidelity showed an aggregate
cost basis of $9,413.33, leaving $377.31 in net
unrealized appreciation, or 4.01%.
That puts the stock portfolio only $209.36 below
$10,000.
This is the first update after July’s historical reconstruction to be
built from a current brokerage snapshot. That makes the August position
values, displayed share counts, and cost basis a much cleaner starting
point for future reviews.
The objective remains unchanged: accumulate ownership in quality
businesses, reinvest the income, and allow both the companies and the
share count to compound over time.
Portfolio Snapshot
| Metric | August 10, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Stock market value | $9,790.64 |
| Aggregate stock cost basis | $9,413.33 |
| Net unrealized gain | +$377.31 (+4.01%) |
| Stock positions | 28 |
| Pending McDonald’s settlement excluded | −$4.90 |
| Nominal change from July stock estimate | +$393.50 (+4.19%) |
| Forward annual dividend income | $119.93 |
| Average monthly dividend income | $9.99 |
| Average weekly dividend income | $2.31 |
| Forward yield on stock value | 1.23% |
| Forward yield on cost | 1.27% |
| Largest position | Dell — $1,679.92 |
| Largest position weight | 17.2% |
| Five largest positions | 45.8% |
| Distance to $10,000 in stocks | $209.36 |
| New McDonald’s position | 0.018 shares / $4.88 |
Taking the Cash Out of the
Picture
Fidelity’s account summary includes a money-market position. This
review is about the operating stock portfolio, so that cash is removed
entirely. The $9,790.64 figure is the direct sum of the
28 displayed equities, not the total account balance.
The pending McDonald’s debit also matters. Fidelity already displays
the new stock while the corresponding $4.90 settlement remains pending.
Counting that debit against the stock subtotal would understate the
displayed equity value. The clean stock-only figure is therefore
$9,790.64.
A More Honest July
Comparison
The July review reconstructed stock value at approximately $9,397.14.
The current August snapshot is $393.50 higher, a nominal increase of
4.19%.
That is not an August investment return.
The current Fidelity capture does not include the activity ledger
needed to separate transfers, new contributions, dividend reinvestment,
purchases, and market movement. The July figure was also reconstructed
from different prior brokerage records rather than taken from a
preserved Fidelity statement. Calling the entire difference
“performance” would mix unlike figures. The July and August cost-basis
and unrealized-gain figures are not directly comparable for the same
reason.
For now, the defensible conclusion is narrower: the stock portfolio’s
displayed value is $393.50 above the July estimate and is now within
$209.36 of $10,000. A true period return will require beginning and
ending snapshots plus the intervening activity.
The current Fidelity list also differs from July’s reconstruction.
Waters and Mobility Global are not displayed among the August positions,
while McDonald’s is new. Without the transaction history, this update
records the current holdings without guessing why those differences
occurred.
New Starter Position:
McDonald’s
McDonald’s became the portfolio’s 28th current holding after the
August deep dive.
The first order was intended to be $1, but
approximately $5 was executed instead. Fidelity shows
0.018 shares, a $4.90 cost basis, and a current value of $4.88.
That one-time sizing mistake does not change the plan. The
plan is to invest $1 in McDonald’s per week, not $5. If every
weekly purchase executes, that represents about $52 of new McDonald’s
capital over a full year before dividend reinvestment or price
changes.
At the current $7.44 annualized dividend rate, the starter position
contributes approximately $0.13 to forward annual income. The amount is
tiny; the purpose is to begin building ownership methodically.
The full company thesis is available in D.28 | MCD /
August 2026. The short version is that McDonald’s is less a
conventional restaurant operator than a global franchising and
real-estate royalty system supported by one of the longest
dividend-growth records in the market.
What Is Driving the
Unrealized Result
Fidelity shows 16 positions above cost and 12 below cost. The winners
carry $516.64 of gross unrealized gains, while the positions below cost
offset that by $139.33, producing the net $377.31 gain.
These are gains and losses since each position’s recorded
cost basis, not returns earned during August.
| Largest positive contributors | Unrealized result | Return on position cost |
|---|---|---|
| Hamilton Beach | +$128.06 | +47.58% |
| Microsoft | +$127.94 | +28.57% |
| Dell | +$115.46 | +7.38% |
| Alphabet | +$48.35 | +8.21% |
| Becton Dickinson | +$33.91 | +12.00% |
| Largest negative contributors | Unrealized result | Return on position cost |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | −$67.44 | −8.70% |
| Waste Management | −$18.19 | −5.07% |
| S&P Global | −$15.53 | −5.83% |
| Meta Platforms | −$8.79 | −2.16% |
| Cintas | −$6.83 | −3.72% |
Hamilton Beach, Microsoft, and Dell together account for $371.46 of
unrealized appreciation—about 98% of the portfolio’s net gain. That is a
useful reminder that diversification by position count is not the same
thing as diversification by economic outcome.
Concentration
Remains the Main Portfolio Risk
Dell is still the defining position. Its $1,679.92 value represents
17.2% of the stock portfolio, up slightly from the 16.6% estimate in
July.
The five largest positions account for 45.8% of stock value, compared
with approximately 45.3% in the July reconstruction. In practical terms,
concentration was nearly unchanged.
| Holding | Value | Stock-portfolio weight |
|---|---|---|
| Dell | $1,679.92 | 17.2% |
| Home Federal Bank of Louisiana | $883.57 | 9.0% |
| Apple | $707.77 | 7.2% |
| Alphabet | $636.70 | 6.5% |
| Microsoft | $575.75 | 5.9% |
| Five largest | $4,483.71 | 45.8% |
The ten largest positions represent 67.3% of stock value.
Twenty-eight holdings provide breadth, but the first few positions still
determine a large share of the portfolio’s day-to-day movement and
long-term result.
That does not automatically make Dell or any other large position a
sell. It means new capital, dividend reinvestment, and future sizing
decisions should be evaluated with concentration in mind.
Forward
Dividend Income: Within Seven Cents of $120
Using the Fidelity-displayed share counts and the latest
issuer-confirmed regular dividend rates, estimated forward income is
$119.93 per year.
That equals approximately $9.99 per month or
$2.31 per week. The forward yield is
1.23% on current stock value and 1.27%
on Fidelity’s displayed cost basis.
The July reconstruction estimated $118.88 of annual income. The
current calculation is $1.05 higher, but the difference should not be
treated as pure dividend growth: the share counts now come from
Fidelity’s displayed positions, the holdings changed, and several
companies updated their declared rates.
The portfolio is now within roughly seven cents of
the $120 annual-income milestone.
| Largest income sources | Forward annual income |
Share of total |
|---|---|---|
| Home Federal Bank of Louisiana | $22.56 | 18.8% |
| Starbucks | $9.57 | 8.0% |
| Dell | $9.06 | 7.6% |
| FS Bancorp | $7.88 | 6.6% |
| Automatic Data Processing | $7.68 | 6.4% |
| Becton Dickinson | $7.44 | 6.2% |
| American States Water | $6.20 | 5.2% |
| Hamilton Beach | $5.97 | 5.0% |
| Waste Management | $5.69 | 4.7% |
| Microsoft | $4.15 | 3.5% |
| All other positions | $33.74 | 28.1% |
| Total | $119.93 | 100.0% |
Home Federal Bank of Louisiana remains the largest individual income
source, producing nearly one-fifth of the total. The top three income
positions generate approximately 34.3% of projected dividends.
Alphabet and PayPal are both included in the calculation. Each had
initiated a regular dividend by the snapshot date. Special dividends are
excluded.
Going Into September
Four priorities stand out.
- Cross $10,000 in stocks without confusing deposits with
returns. The numerical gap is only $209.36, but the next review
should still separate new money from investment results. - Preserve the activity record. Beginning and ending
snapshots plus Fidelity’s transaction history will make
contribution-adjusted reporting possible again. - Keep McDonald’s at the intended $1 weekly pace. The
first $5 execution was a sizing error, not the new recurring
amount. - Monitor concentration. Dell is 17.2% of stock
value, the top five are 45.8%, and three holdings explain almost the
entire net unrealized gain.
August Takeaway
As of August 10, the portfolio holds $9,790.64 across 28
stocks, with a $377.31 net unrealized gain and
$119.93 in estimated forward annual dividends.
It is $209.36 from the $10,000 stock-value milestone and only about
seven cents from $120 in forward annual income.
The most important improvement is not either milestone. It is the
quality of the measurement. August replaces a reconstructed portfolio
with current Fidelity-displayed share counts, values, and cost basis.
Cash is separated from stocks, the pending McDonald’s settlement is
reconciled, and the July-to-August change is not mislabeled as
performance.
McDonald’s is now inside the portfolio, even if its opening order was
larger than intended. Going forward, the plan is simple: $1 per week,
continued reinvestment, careful position sizing, and cleaner
reporting.
The next numerical milestone is $10,000.
The more meaningful objective is to reach it with a portfolio whose
income, diversification, and reporting discipline are all improving
together.
Full Portfolio Snapshot
| Holding | Ticker | Shares | Value | Cost basis | Unrealized gain / loss |
Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dell | DELL | 3.595 | $1,679.92 | $1,564.46 | +$115.46 (+7.38%) | 17.2% |
| Home Federal Bank of Louisiana | HFBL | 37.599 | $883.57 | $889.47 | −$5.90 (−0.67%) | 9.0% |
| Apple | AAPL | 2.307 | $707.77 | $775.21 | −$67.44 (−8.70%) | 7.2% |
| Alphabet Class A | GOOGL | 1.788 | $636.70 | $588.35 | +$48.35 (+8.21%) | 6.5% |
| Microsoft | MSFT | 1.139 | $575.75 | $447.81 | +$127.94 (+28.57%) | 5.9% |
| Costco | COST | 0.513 | $487.28 | $484.74 | +$2.54 (+0.52%) | 5.0% |
| Visa | V | 1.164 | $418.37 | $421.79 | −$3.42 (−0.81%) | 4.3% |
| Starbucks | SBUX | 3.857 | $402.84 | $405.50 | −$2.66 (−0.66%) | 4.1% |
| Meta Platforms | META | 0.670 | $398.29 | $407.08 | −$8.79 (−2.16%) | 4.1% |
| Hamilton Beach | HBB | 11.946 | $397.20 | $269.14 | +$128.06 (+47.58%) | 4.1% |
| Mastercard | MA | 0.679 | $380.53 | $373.15 | +$7.38 (+1.97%) | 3.9% |
| Waste Management | WM | 1.505 | $340.82 | $359.01 | −$18.19 (−5.07%) | 3.5% |
| Becton Dickinson | BDX | 1.771 | $316.37 | $282.46 | +$33.91 (+12.00%) | 3.2% |
| Automatic Data Processing | ADP | 1.130 | $307.28 | $288.97 | +$18.31 (+6.33%) | 3.1% |
| FS Bancorp | FSBW | 6.794 | $289.08 | $294.83 | −$5.75 (−1.95%) | 3.0% |
| American States Water | AWR | 3.074 | $266.57 | $266.14 | +$0.43 (+0.16%) | 2.7% |
| S&P Global | SPGI | 0.611 | $250.72 | $266.25 | −$15.53 (−5.83%) | 2.6% |
| UnitedHealth | UNH | 0.443 | $181.68 | $184.71 | −$3.03 (−1.64%) | 1.9% |
| Cintas | CTAS | 0.877 | $176.82 | $183.65 | −$6.83 (−3.72%) | 1.8% |
| Coca-Cola | KO | 1.566 | $136.06 | $131.10 | +$4.96 (+3.78%) | 1.4% |
| Intuit | INTU | 0.400 | $133.31 | $123.70 | +$9.61 (+7.77%) | 1.4% |
| Thermo Fisher Scientific | TMO | 0.208 | $124.01 | $118.16 | +$5.85 (+4.95%) | 1.3% |
| Target | TGT | 0.658 | $100.49 | $92.87 | +$7.62 (+8.21%) | 1.0% |
| Johnson & Johnson | JNJ | 0.263 | $68.24 | $70.01 | −$1.77 (−2.53%) | 0.7% |
| PayPal | PYPL | 0.860 | $50.34 | $48.73 | +$1.61 (+3.31%) | 0.5% |
| Roper Technologies | ROP | 0.120 | $48.50 | $45.88 | +$2.62 (+5.71%) | 0.5% |
| Carlisle Companies | CSL | 0.071 | $27.25 | $25.26 | +$1.99 (+7.89%) | 0.3% |
| McDonald’s | MCD | 0.018 | $4.88 | $4.90 | −$0.02 (−0.29%) | <0.1% |
| Total stocks | 28 positions | $9,790.64 | $9,413.33 | +$377.31 (+4.01%) | 100.0% |
Method and Sources
- Position values, Fidelity-displayed share counts, cost basis, and
unrealized results come from the SEP-IRA snapshot captured August 10,
2026, at 2:47 p.m. ET. - The snapshot was captured during the trading session, so it is not a
market-close valuation. - Stock value is the sum of the 28 displayed equities. The
money-market position is excluded. The accounting separately recognizes
the pending $4.90 McDonald’s debit. - Fidelity marked Home Federal Bank of Louisiana “Not Priced Today,”
so its $883.57 displayed value uses the prior market day’s price. - The July comparison uses the published DP.27 reconstructed stock
value of $9,397.14. It is a nominal comparison, not a
contribution-adjusted return. - Forward income equals displayed shares multiplied by the latest
confirmed regular dividend rate available on the snapshot date.
Quarterly rates are annualized by multiplying by four. Special dividends
are excluded, and fractional-share rounding means actual payments may
differ by a few cents. - The $119.93 estimate includes Alphabet at $0.88 annually and PayPal
at $0.56 annually. American States Water is conservatively calculated at
its latest directly confirmed $0.504 quarterly rate, or $2.016
annualized. - Official dividend sources include issuer releases or filings for Dell,
HFBL,
Apple,
Alphabet,
Microsoft,
Costco,
Visa,
Starbucks,
Meta,
and Hamilton
Beach. - Additional issuer sources: Mastercard,
Waste
Management, Becton
Dickinson, ADP,
FS
Bancorp, American
States Water, S&P
Global, UnitedHealth,
Cintas,
and Coca-Cola. - Additional issuer sources: Intuit,
Thermo
Fisher, Target,
Johnson
& Johnson, PayPal,
Roper
Technologies, Carlisle,
and McDonald’s.
This portfolio review is for personal recordkeeping and educational
discussion. It is not investment, tax, or legal advice. Investing
involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Forward
dividend estimates are not guaranteed; companies may increase, reduce,
suspend, or eliminate dividends.