How a Pro Is Positioning Dividend Portfolios for 2026

What does dividend investing look like as we head into 2026?In this episode of Dividend Stockpile, I’m joined by Chris D’Agnes, Partner and Equity Portfolio Manager at Hamlin Capital Management, to break down how income investors should be thinking about dividends in the years ahead.We start with Chris’s background and Hamlin’s investment approach, then dive into how the dividend landscape is evolving — from dividend growth vs high yield, to dividend safety, sector opportunities, and the biggest traps investors need to avoid in 2026.We also cover how companies are balancing dividends vs buybacks, what a potential rate-cut environment could mean for income portfolios, and where Chris sees contrarian dividend opportunities that the market may be overlooking. To wrap it up, Chris shares his outlook on the long-term structural trends shaping dividend investing over the next decade and walks through the strategy behind Hamlin’s mutual fund.Whether you’re focused on growing income, protecting yield, or positioning your portfolio for the next cycle, this conversation is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.