Dear US retiree,
Jeff Bezos sat down with CNN and issued a warning to every American a few short years ago.
His exact words.
"If you're an individual considering purchasing a big-screen TV, you might want to wait, hold onto your money, and see what transpires. The same is true with a new automobile, refrigerator, or whatever else.”
“Just remove some risk from the equation."
He said the economy did not look good. He said things were slowing down. He said to hold onto your cash.
Sound advice. From the smartest guy in any room he walks into.
Here is the problem.
Since Bezos issued that warning in November 2022, the S&P 500 has surged more than 83%.
The people who listened to Bezos and held cash are not better off.
The people who ignored him and kept buying are significantly wealthier.
This is not a knock on Bezos. He is worth $200 billion for a reason.
He understands business at a level most of us will never reach.
But timing the market is not the same as building wealth. And holding cash is not the same as removing risk.
Sometimes the riskiest thing you can do is nothing.
Here Is What We Did Instead.
Here at US Retirement Report we do not just write about investing.
We invest.
In our personal portfolios. With our own money. In companies we understand and believe in.
We want to show you three of those positions right now.
Not to brag. To prove a point.
Because the point matters enormously to your retirement.
Position One: Broadcom.
Broadcom is a semiconductor and infrastructure software company.
They build the chips that power data centers, wireless networks, and enterprise software. When AI exploded, Broadcom was already in the middle of it. Their AI revenue has grown to $10.8 billion and is accelerating.
I bought Broadcom in my personal portfolio.
Here is what $1,000 invested in Broadcom five years ago is worth today.
$9,045.
Not a typo.
Nine thousand and forty-five dollars.
From one position. Held patiently. While the headlines screamed about recessions and rate hikes and whatever Bezos was warning about that particular week.
The dividend grew every year along the way. Broadcom has a five-year dividend growth rate of over 14% annually. The check gets bigger every year whether the stock goes up or not.
Position Two: Microsoft.
Microsoft needs no introduction. Office. Azure. Teams. LinkedIn. GitHub. OpenAI investment. The most durable software franchise in the history of technology.
I bought Microsoft in my personal portfolio.
Here is the honest picture right now.
Microsoft is going through a rough 2026. The stock is down roughly 19% this year. Headlines are negative. Analysts are cautious.
This is exactly what long-term income investors understand that short-term traders do not.
A great company going through a rough patch is not a disaster. It is a buying opportunity.
Microsoft's dividend has grown for 22 consecutive years. They raised it again this year. The check arrives every quarter regardless of what the stock price does on any given Tuesday.
Over the past ten years, $1,000 invested in Microsoft has grown to approximately $5,560 including dividends reinvested.
The people selling Microsoft today because of a bad year are the people who will wish they held it in three years.
We are holding.
Position Three: Lowe's.
Lowe's is the second largest home improvement retailer in America. $93 billion in annual sales. A business that sells the lumber, paint, appliances, and tools that Americans use to maintain and improve the most valuable asset most of them own.
I bought Lowe's in my personal portfolio.
Lowe's has paid a cash dividend every single quarter since going public in 1961.
Sixty-five years. Without missing one.
They have raised that dividend for 54 consecutive years.
The dividend five-year growth rate is 15.3% annually. The current quarterly dividend is $1.25 per share. Annual yield 2.3%.
This is not a company you own for an explosion of price appreciation.
This is a company you own because every 90 days it sends you a check.
And every year that check is bigger than the one before. And it has been doing this since your parents were raising you and it will be doing it when your grandchildren are grown.
$1,000 invested in Lowe's five years ago including dividends reinvested is worth approximately $1,200 today. Modest price return in a difficult environment for housing.
But here is what that number does not show.
The dividend income collected over those five years. Reinvested. Compounding. Growing 15% per year.
Lowe's is not a price story. It is an income story. And in a retirement portfolio, income stories are the ones that let you sleep.
The Three Companies Tell You Everything.
Broadcom for growth. Microsoft for durability. Lowe's for income.
Three completely different risk profiles. Three completely different stories. All owned personally. All generating income while we hold them.
That is the Income Investor thesis in three real positions.
Not theory. Not hypotheticals.
Real companies. Real dividends. Real dollars in a personal portfolio.
Here is what Bezos got right.
If you were going to spend $1,000 on a refrigerator in November 2022, and you did not need a refrigerator, holding that money was sensible.
Here is what he got wrong.
Holding it in cash was not the alternative. Putting it in Broadcom was.
$1,000 in cash from November 2022 is still worth roughly $1,000 today. Less, adjusted for inflation.
$1,000 in Broadcom from that same month is worth significantly more than $9,000.
The decision is not between spending and saving.
The decision is between saving and investing.
One protects what you have. The other builds what you need.
The Response Has Been Extraordinary.
Hundreds of you have already replied with one word.
"Income."
You want specific ideas. Companies with track records. Dividends that grow. Positions sized for retirement portfolios. Research written by someone who actually owns what they recommend.
That is exactly what we are building.
US Retirement Report Income Investor launches soon.
Two income picks per month. A model portfolio you can track.
Position sizing guidance built around retirement income needs.
Monthly updates. Written by someone with skin in the game.
Not a newsletter written from a distance.
A portfolio built alongside yours.
If you have not already replied, do it now.
One word. That is all.
Reply: "Income"
First access. Founding member pricing. The first pick before anyone else sees it.
Reply now.
Stay sharp.
— US Retirement Report
This newsletter is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, or investment advice. Past performance reflects the author's personal portfolio and is not indicative of future results. All stock return figures cited are historical and include dividends reinvested. Please consult a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
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