Food Distribution Stock is Cooking Up Yield for Dividend Investors

Hello and welcome to Dividend Brief, the 2-times-weekly newsletter focused on dividend investing.

Today, we will look into Microsoft, Simon Property Group, and Paramount, highlight a few dividend stocks worth watching as well as share companies that are about to pay a dividend in the next few days.

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Enterprise

Microsoft Powers New Era of Global Fan Engagement With Premier League Tie-Up

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has signed a five-year strategic partnership with the Premier League to power its new digital platforms, making the tech giant the league’s official cloud and AI provider.

The deal brings Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI, Copilot, and Dynamics 365 services to the global sports stage, reaching 1.8 billion fans across 189 countries, a scale few platforms can match.

The Premier League will use Microsoft’s tools to overhaul everything from match analysis and broadcast overlays to internal operations and real-time fan engagement.

Central to the launch is the new Premier League Companion, a Copilot-powered digital assistant that pulls from decades of football data and media to deliver personalized insights across web, mobile, and Fantasy League experiences.

This partnership reflects Microsoft’s growing dominance not just in enterprise AI, but in high-visibility, consumer-facing platforms.

By embedding its services into the digital heart of one of the world’s most valuable sports leagues, Microsoft extends its brand and product relevance far beyond the boardroom.

For those tracking Microsoft’s long-term positioning, this deal illustrates the practical stickiness of its AI and cloud products.

Instead of chasing adoption through demos and whitepapers, Microsoft is delivering everyday utility to hundreds of millions through real-world applications.

This agreement gives Microsoft a front-row seat in global fan engagement and another high-profile proving ground for its AI stack.

MSFT currently trades at $493 and pays a dividend of $3.32 per share, a yield of 0.67%.

Real Estate

Simon Property Group Takes Full Control of Brickell Retail Hub in $548M Deal

Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG) has acquired full ownership of the retail and parking segments of Miami’s Brickell City Centre, purchasing the remaining stake from Swire Properties in a deal valued at up to $548.7 million.

The transaction gives Simon complete control of a premium mixed-use development in one of the fastest-growing financial hubs in the United States.

Brickell City Centre features over 90 retail stores across four levels and includes high-end anchors such as Saks Fifth Avenue.

Until now, Simon held a 25% stake in the retail portion.

With this deal, it consolidates ownership and positions itself to manage and monetize one of Miami’s most valuable urban retail assets at a time when population and wealth migration continue to reshape demand across Florida’s commercial corridors.

For shareholders, the acquisition reinforces Simon’s strategy of deepening its footprint in high-traffic, high-spend districts rather than chasing square footage in secondary markets.

Brickell isn’t just another mall. It’s an integrated anchor within a mixed-use ecosystem of offices, 

residences, and hospitality, providing Simon with exposure to long-term leasing revenue, tourism-driven foot traffic, and potential redevelopment upside.

Potential investors in SPG can view this as a deliberate and strategic growth move.

This aligns with the company’s strategic approach to growth, which focuses on dense, high-value metropolitan areas with strong retail fundamentals.

Simon continues to consolidate the premium end of the U.S. retail landscape while competitors remain cautious or regionally siloed.

SPG currently trades at $166 and pays a dividend of $8.40 per share, a yield of 5.07%.

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Media

Paramount Bundles Streaming With Cable in Strategic Mediacom Tie-Up

Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA) has renewed its distribution agreement with Mediacom, one of the largest regional cable operators in the U.S., and will now extend access to its Paramount+ Premium streaming service to eligible Mediacom subscribers.

By embedding Paramount+ into the Mediacom bundle, the company sidesteps direct customer acquisition costs.

It taps into a base of subscribers who are less likely to churn than those of digital-only streamers.

It also leverages Mediacom’s smaller-market footprint, helping Paramount deepen its presence in regions often underserved by national OTT platforms.

For current investors, this signals a more disciplined and scalable approach to driving growth through streaming.

Paramount has invested heavily in content and subscriber expansion, but bundling with cable providers offers a more cost-effective way to boost engagement and distribution without targeting every household individually.

Those considering a position in Paramount should note that while this isn’t a flashy content deal, it highlights strategic execution.

Similar moves by Comcast and Disney indicate that hybrid distribution is becoming the standard.

Paramount is working to secure relevance across both traditional and streaming ecosystems, and this agreement helps reinforce that dual-channel strategy.

PARA currently trades at $13 and pays a dividend of $0.20 per share, a yield of 1.53%.

USB increased its dividend payout to 52 cents per share, a 4% rise. Its new forward yield is 4.47%.

STT expanded its dividend payout to 84 cents per share, an 11% increase. Its new forward yield is 3.14%. 

GS improved its dividend payout to $4.00 per share, an increase of 33%. Its new forward yield is 2.26%.

ITUB dropped its dividend payout to .0029 cents per share, a cut of 95.08%. Its new dividend yield is 0.51%.

MAIN slashed its dividend payout to 25.5 cents per share, a cut of 15%. Its new dividend yield is 5.16%.

ANGL decreased its dividend payout to 14.42 cents per share, a cut of 6.75%. Its new dividend yield is 5.94%.

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Everything Else

• Reduced stress test demands mean that bigger capital payouts are on the horizon for bank stockholders. 

• Walmart’s new offerings focus on improving delivery efficiency and speed. 

• Energy stocks popped after major tax assessments were struck from Trump’s bill. 

• Constellation’s earnings disappointed shareholders after a weak alcohol-sales season.

• Ford’s struggle to compete in the EV market continues after sales dropped by more than 30%.