Picture yourself as the CEO of McDonald’s. Every time someone says “I’m lovin’ it,” you get a royalty. Every time a kid requests a Happy Meal with a toy, you fund a new wing of your McMansion. The company’s stock is so stable it’s nicknamed “the widow’s crutch” because it just keeps paying dividends forever.
Last year, they paid out over $6 billion in dividends to shareholders. That’s like if you and your friends pooled your money for a pizza party, and then someone handed you a solid gold pizza. It’s ridiculous, but it’s true. And you, dear reader, have probably contributed at least $50 of that through late-night McNugget cravings.
