This popular stock's 8% yield is 'extremely safe' Main Street Capital (NYSE: MAIN) is popular among income investors due to its 8% yield, monthly dividend, and annual dividend increases. In fact, it's a longtime favorite of my colleague Dr. Mark Skousen, The Oxford Club's Macroeconomic Strategist. Can investors (and Dr. Skousen) rely on the dividend as it now stands? The last time Daily Trade Alert, Inc. looked at Main Street a little over a year ago, the answer was a resounding yes. The business development company's net investment income (the measure of cash flow that Daily Trade Alert, Inc. use for BDCs) was climbing, the payout ratio was appropriate, and the company had boosted the dividend each year for 15 years. As a result, the company received an "A" rating for dividend safety. A year later, let's see whether the company's dividend is just as safe. Main Street Capital provides equity and debt financing to privately held companies. Its portfolio includes... * A $5.3 million equity position dating back to 2011 and a $2.2 million loan at 12% to N.R.P. Jones, a La Porte, Indiana-based manufacturer of hoses, fittings, and assemblies for the oil, natural gas, agriculture, mining, and other industries * A $5.4 million equity investment and $21.5 million loan at 13% to Career Team Holdings, a workforce training software company based in Shelton, Connecticut * A $22.8 million loan at 14% to Slick Innovations, which has dual headquarters in Jamestown, New York, and Nashville, Tennessee, and provides businesses with a text-based marketing platform. When an equity position pays off or Main Street collects interest on a loan, that is counted as investment income. After expenses are deducted, Daily Trade Alert, Inc. arrive at net investment income, or NII. That is the metric Daily Trade Alert, Inc. use to determine the safety of a BDC's dividend. In 2025, the last full year of reported financials, Main Street Capital's NII rose 3.3% to $352.7 million, up from $341.4 million in 2024. NII is projected to climb to $375.4 million this year and then advance again in 2027 to $381.9 million. NII is growing every year, and that's positive. Last year, Main Street Capital paid investors $339.3 million in dividends for a 96.2% payout ratio on NII. For BDCs, I'm fine with anything at or below 100%. By law, BDCs must pay out at least 90% of their profits to shareholders. NII is not the same as profits, but because of that law, they typically pay out most if not all of their NII. This year, the payout ratio is projected to bump up against my 100% threshold at 99.6%. In 2027, Wall Street expects dividends paid to be $395 million, breaching that 100% level by 3.4%. That expected payout ratio of above 100% causes a downgrade for the stock's Safety Net rating. The 100% threshold is not an arbitrary number. A payout ratio that exceeds 100% means the company is not generating enough cash to cover the dividend. When that occurs, a company must pay shareholders from cash on hand or raise money from either debt or equity. It's not a good position to be in. Main Street Capital pays a monthly regular dividend and usually pays a quarterly special dividend as well. Not including the special dividend, the company has raised its payout for 16 straight years. A decade or more of annual dividend increases earns a company a one-point upgrade. The current monthly $0.265 per share dividend comes out to a 6% yield. Main Street has also paid the special dividend every quarter since the end of 2021. The special dividend has been $0.30 per share since March of 2024. When you add the special dividend to the monthly payout, the yield grows to 8.2%. I don't love that expected payout ratio of over 100% next year, but the company has proven itself as a reliable Perpetual Dividend Raiser. After years of strong performance, management deserves the benefit of the doubt. Daily Trade Alert, Inc.'ll revisit it next year, but for now, the dividend is extremely safe. Dividend Safety Rating: A - Marc Lichtenfeld Rumors are spreading quickly... Elon is gearing up to buy a tiny, publicly traded company. Why? Because it holds the exclusive rights to a $16 trillion MOTHERLODE of the exact materials his empire runs on... rare metals like cobalt, manganese and lithium. On January 1st, a new Pentagon rule cuts off his Chinese supply. Today, it's a $5 stock... but once Elon makes his move, it could soar to $50 within 6 months. Click here for the full story.

Barleh Jessica Issoufou promoted to Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at WorkSource Montgomery. Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, July 2026 - WorkSource Montgomery has promoted Barleh Jessica Issoufou to the position of Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, recognizing her outstanding leadership and contributions to advancing workforce development and economic opportunity across Montgomery County. In her new role, Barleh will oversee the organization's business operations, working closely with leadership and cross-functional teams to strengthen operational excellence, enhance organizational performance, and expand innovative workforce solutions that support employers, job seekers, and the broader regional economy. Prior to this promotion, Barleh served as Deputy Director, Workforce Services at WorkSource Montgomery for over three years. In this capacity, she provided strategic direction and operational leadership for workforce development programs and business engagement initiatives, driving organizational performance through data-driven decision-making, cross-sector partnerships, and innovative employment and talent development strategies. Before joining WorkSource Montgomery, Barleh spent more than four years with Career TEAM LLC, where she most recently served as Regional Director of Operations, overseeing the implementation of strategic business plans and operational delivery for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs across the East Coast. Simultaneously, she also served as Executive Director, providing strategic, fiscal, and operational leadership for the District of Columbia's TANF Employment Provider program and helping expand employment opportunities for underserved communities. Earlier in her career, Barleh held leadership positions with Community Purchasing Alliance as Regional Director, where she led strategic planning and innovative purchasing initiatives supporting community organizations, and with EDSI as Program Manager, managing large-scale employment and training programs serving thousands of residents annually. She began her professional journey with the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development as a Claims Examiner, and also gained valuable community development experience through internships with Volunteers of America Delaware Valley and The Center for Family Services, as well as serving as Youth Volunteer Coordinator with the American Red Cross. Barleh holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania, an academic foundation that has complemented her career in workforce development, community engagement, organizational leadership, and public service. With more than fifteen years of experience spanning workforce development, operations management, public sector partnerships, community engagement, and organizational leadership, Barleh is well positioned to help lead WorkSource Montgomery through its next phase of growth and impact. WorkSource Montgomery (WSM) is the primary workforce development organization serving Montgomery County, Maryland, connecting employers, job seekers, educational institutions, and economic development partners to build a highly skilled workforce. Through innovative workforce solutions, strategic partnerships, and employer-focused programs, WSM helps strengthen regional competitiveness while creating meaningful employment opportunities and sustainable economic growth.