Best Dividend Stocks

Q: What are dividend stocks?

Dividend stocks are shares of companies that regularly distribute a portion of their profits to shareholders, typically on a quarterly basis. These cash payments provide investors with income in addition to any stock price appreciation. Dividend-paying companies tend to be mature, profitable businesses with stable cash flows — think utilities, banks, consumer staples, and healthcare companies.

Q: What is a good dividend yield?

A good dividend yield typically falls between 2% and 6% for most investors. Yields below 2% may not provide meaningful income relative to safer alternatives like Treasury bonds. Yields above 6% often signal elevated risk — the stock price may have fallen sharply, pushing the yield up artificially. The average S&P 500 dividend yield is historically around 1.5–2%. Always evaluate yield alongside the payout ratio and earnings growth.

Q: How are dividends taxed?

In the U.S., qualified dividends are taxed at long-term capital gains rates: 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on your taxable income. Ordinary dividends are taxed at your regular income tax rate, which can be as high as 37%. To qualify for the lower rate, you must hold the stock for more than 60 days around the ex-dividend date. Dividends in IRAs or 401(k)s grow tax-deferred or tax-free.

Q: What is the ex-dividend date?

The ex-dividend date is the cutoff date for receiving a declared dividend. If you buy a stock on or after this date, you will not receive the upcoming payment — the previous owner gets it. To be eligible, you must purchase at least one business day before. Stock prices typically drop by approximately the dividend amount on the ex-dividend date.

Q: What are Dividend Aristocrats?

Dividend Aristocrats are S&P 500 companies that have increased their dividends for at least 25 consecutive years. This elite group includes around 65 companies spanning sectors like consumer staples, healthcare, industrials, and financials. Dividend Aristocrats have historically outperformed the broader S&P 500 with lower volatility.

Q: Is a high dividend yield always better?

No — an unusually high yield is often a warning sign known as a dividend trap. A yield above 7–8% frequently indicates the stock price has fallen sharply because the market expects a dividend cut. The best approach is to evaluate yield in context: check the payout ratio (under 60% is healthy), review earnings trends, and compare the yield to the company's own historical range. A moderate yield that grows consistently beats an unsustainably high one.

Quality meets income: dividend stocks yielding 2%+ with sustainable payout ratios under 100%. Large caps that pay you to hold.

200 stocks Updated Nov 5, 2026

5.43% Avg Dividend Yield

54.5% Avg Payout Ratio

15.8 Avg P/E Ratio

$15.16T Total Market Cap

The best dividend stocks combine attractive yields with sustainable payout ratios, consistent payment histories, and strong underlying business fundamentals. This list screens for large-cap companies yielding at least 2% with payout ratios below 100%, filtering out the high-yield traps where an elevated dividend signals financial distress rather than shareholder generosity.

Dividend investing is a core strategy for income-oriented portfolios and retirees seeking regular cash flow. Beyond the income stream, dividend-paying companies tend to be more financially disciplined and less volatile than non-payers. The power of dividend reinvestment (DRIP) can significantly compound returns over long holding periods.

When evaluating dividend stocks, yield alone can be misleading — a stock with a 10% yield that cuts its dividend next quarter is worse than one yielding 3% that grows its payout annually. This list sorts by yield but includes payout ratios and P/E ratios so you can assess sustainability at a glance.

#	Symbol	Name	Price	Yield %	Annual Div	Payout %	P/E	Market Cap
1	TRMD	Torm Plc-A	$34.31	21.85%	$2.01	70.00%	7.0	29.05B
2	SBLK	Star Bulk Carriers Corp	$27.11	20.75%	$0.30	40.84%	11.3	3.24B
3	BWLP	Bw Lpg Ltd	$21.62	20.70%	$1.32	82.48%	8.7	35.67B
4	MCHB	Mechanics Bancorp-A	$14.58	16.60%	$0.40	18.27%	15.5	3.39B
5	HAFN	Hafnia Ltd	$9.34	16.45%	$0.40	58.48%	8.8	53.25B
6	DHT	Dht Holdings Inc	$20.67	15.83%	$0.74	56.33%	8.6	4.06B
7	OMF	Onemain Holdings Inc	$56.83	10.45%	$4.22	63.73%	8.5	6.60B
8	HTGC	Hercules Capital Inc	$16.32	10.22%	$1.85	95.95%	8.1	3.10B
9	OGN	Organon & Co	$13.82	9.86%	$0.34	47.06%	17.4	3.63B
10	ARCC	Ares Capital Corp	$19.35	9.65%	$1.82	97.31%	14.4	13.81B
11	DVN	Devon Energy Corp	$42.88	9.31%	$0.97	23.43%	17.3	56.78B
12	CALM	Cal-Maine Foods Inc	$65.67	9.00%	$4.85	73.14%	49.4	2.90B
13	KSS	Kohls Corp	$25.36	8.64%	$0.50	20.59%	9.9	2.67B
14	TFSL	Tfs Financial Corp	$16.43	8.29%	$0.21	65.45%	46.1	4.70B
15	FRO	Frontline Plc	$45.54	8.18%	$0.93	54.62%	8.5	12.67B
16	FIBK	First Interstate Bancsys-A	$38.01	7.76%	$1.89	64.32%	11.4	3.59B
17	HESM	Hess Midstream Lp - Class A	$30.30	7.73%	$1.65	99.23%	18.0	6.75B
18	LNC	Lincoln National Corp	$39.16	7.48%	$2.31	35.34%	3.3	7.85B
19	ICL	Icl Group Ltd	$4.65	7.42%	$0.17	99.12%	19.4	18.49B
20	LAZ	Lazard Inc	$38.71	7.25%	$2.03	78.78%	16.5	3.75B
21	NWBI	Northwest Bancshares Inc	$15.84	7.22%	$0.80	87.22%	14.7	2.25B
22	BCE	Bce Inc	$22.03	7.20%	$2.36	33.70%	4.1	26.15B
23	STLA	Stellantis Nv	$4.44	7.15%	$0.68	84.98%	—	15.88B
24	VZ	Verizon Communications	$46.12	7.11%	$2.72	66.85%	10.9	179.54B
25	BNS	Bank Of Nova Scotia	$91.77	7.05%	$4.74	75.43%	16.4	164.32B
26	APAM	Artisan Partners Asset Ma -A	$39.56	7.03%	$3.19	88.56%	9.8	2.95B
27	CRH	Crh Plc	$95.45	6.99%	$2.49	26.54%	15.7	60.05B
28	T	AT&T Inc.	$21.82	6.85%	$1.15	37.26%	11.0	144.19B
29	UGI	Ugi Corp	$37.22	6.84%	$1.50	47.49%	13.8	8.30B
30	MAIN	Main Street Capital Corp	$56.86	6.83%	$3.81	68.76%	11.6	5.23B
31	KEY	Keycorp	$20.96	6.81%	$0.95	57.63%	10.7	22.68B
32	FTAI	Ftai Aviation Ltd	$162.45	6.67%	$1.42	29.03%	38.8	19.23B
33	FANG	Diamondback Energy Inc	$179.58	6.63%	$4.02	69.47%	39.4	57.81B
34	TFC	Truist Financial Corp	$49.84	6.55%	$2.32	56.45%	11.2	58.19B
35	COLB	Columbia Banking System Inc	$30.43	6.55%	$1.33	60.91%	10.4	8.65B
36	KMI	Kinder Morgan Inc	$30.19	6.51%	$1.17	85.21%	20.9	75.14B
37	CM	Can Imperial Bk Of Commerce	$115.61	6.48%	$4.27	47.37%	14.9	150.92B
38	NTB	Bank Of N.T. Butterfield&Son	$54.62	6.39%	$1.86	33.51%	9.5	2.22B
39	PFS	Provident Financial Services	$22.95	6.32%	$0.96	43.24%	9.7	3.02B
40	CFG	Citizens Financial Group	$63.83	6.25%	$2.04	48.50%	12.2	27.57B
41	IFS	Intercorp Financial Services	$47.16	6.25%	$3.63	21.05%	9.0	5.43B
42	MMM	3M Co	$187.77	6.25%	$2.92	48.06%	25.6	90.34B
43	JHG	Janus Henderson Group Plc	$51.95	6.07%	$1.60	30.54%	10.2	8.00B
44	STKAF	ST Engineering Ltd	$3.08	6.06%	$0.22	63.56%	11.9	10.39B
45	RF	Regions Financial Corp	$28.41	5.98%	$1.13	46.52%	10.7	24.48B
46	EMA	Emera Inc	$51.19	5.95%	$2.18	59.78%	20.4	21.22B
47	BTI	British American Tobacco p.l.c.	$63.37	5.90%	$2.39	67.47%	11.6	89.90B
48	IVZ	Invesco Ltd	$27.08	5.79%	$1.30	78.51%	—	12.21B
49	F	Ford Motor Co	$12.53	5.77%	$0.73	53.04%	—	48.87B
50	FSUGY	Fortescue Ltd	$20.16	5.75%	$0.93	84.52%	12.4	64.56B
51	IMBBY	Imperial Brands PLC	$40.49	5.74%	$1.88	75.23%	10.5	21.70B
52	HBAN	Huntington Bancshares Inc	$15.61	5.70%	$0.67	45.95%	12.7	31.62B
53	D	Dominion Energy Inc	$69.64	5.69%	$2.63	75.98%	23.2	58.74B
54	OKE	Oneok Inc	$86.25	5.67%	$4.26	76.13%	15.1	61.28B
55	MFC	Manulife Financial Corp	$43.99	5.53%	$1.94	57.16%	15.6	105.08B
56	PM	Philip Morris International	$201.50	5.51%	$5.54	76.00%	30.3	324.58B
57	FHB	First Hawaiian Inc	$25.87	5.45%	$1.05	47.40%	11.2	3.07B
58	TTE	Totalenergies Se	$88.75	5.40%	$3.70	61.86%	9.4	188.84B
59	SCCO	Southern Copper Corp	$165.38	5.39%	$3.04	57.33%	27.4	155.13B
60	NWN	Northwest Natural Holding Co	$51.31	5.35%	$1.89	68.22%	16.6	2.10B
61	MC	Moelis & Co - Class A	$57.99	5.34%	$2.74	89.56%	21.3	4.87B
62	BMO	Bank Of Montreal	$172.45	5.33%	$7.00	57.77%	18.7	171.12B
63	VIRT	Virtu Financial Inc-Class A	$53.88	5.33%	$0.57	18.72%	16.2	8.94B
64	AVA	Avista Corp	$40.33	5.30%	$1.96	82.38%	13.9	3.14B
65	BBY	Best Buy Co Inc	$99.40	5.29%	$3.81	74.93%	15.5	19.76B
66	BTG	B2Gold Corp	$5.27	5.29%	$0.08	25.74%	8.2	9.18B
67	BAP	Credicorp Ltd	$347.99	5.27%	$40.07	45.94%	13.2	28.19B
68	PRU	Prudential Financial Inc	$122.46	5.22%	$5.48	53.86%	10.3	40.23B
69	ING	ING Groep N.V.	$32.63	5.20%	$1.29	61.38%	7.2	68.56B
70	USB	Us Bancorp	$59.75	5.16%	$2.25	46.26%	11.2	93.83B
71	FITB	Fifth Third Bancorp	$53.45	5.14%	$1.75	46.11%	22.5	48.79B
72	SNY	Sanofi	$46.91	5.10%	$3.79	85.29%	7.8	97.65B
73	VTRS	Viatris Inc	$18.97	5.09%	$0.48	28.47%	—	21.82B
74	PBI	Pitney Bowes Inc	$16.01	5.08%	$0.31	35.29%	11.9	2.24B
75	DBSDY	DBS Group Holdings Ltd	$222.72	5.08%	$2.87	74.55%	14.9	162.83B
76	EVRG	Evergy Inc	$87.41	5.06%	$2.66	71.66%	21.4	19.85B
77	CCEP	Coca-Cola Europacific Partne	$117.29	5.03%	$2.04	47.73%	22.5	50.26B
78	VLY	Valley National Bancorp	$14.06	5.02%	$0.50	46.47%	11.1	7.73B
79	NWE	Northwestern Energy Group In	$82.02	5.01%	$2.63	89.12%	28.7	4.91B
80	BOH	Bank Of Hawaii Corp	$69.58	5.01%	$3.37	65.10%	11.6	2.73B
81	SR	Spire Inc	$88.95	4.97%	$3.38	72.51%	9.5	5.21B
82	TROW	T Rowe Price Group Inc	$108.71	4.97%	$5.18	54.76%	10.0	22.20B
83	ASB	Associated Banc-Corp	$30.54	4.96%	$1.01	35.23%	11.1	5.61B
84	SFNC	Simmons First Natl Corp-Cl A	$23.16	4.95%	$0.85	69.05%	13.0	3.38B
85	FHN	First Horizon Corp	$23.12	4.94%	$0.67	34.59%	15.6	11.05B
86	CAG	Conagra Brands Inc	$15.51	4.91%	$1.40	58.07%	—	6.94B
87	SU	Suncor Energy Inc	$69.06	4.88%	$2.30	47.47%	14.2	127.08B
88	BKH	Black Hills Corp	$83.76	4.88%	$2.69	67.87%	20.9	6.24B
89	DTM	Dt Midstream Inc	$112.88	4.83%	$108.44	73.47%	35.9	12.68B
90	PNC	Pnc Financial Services Group	$226.75	4.82%	$7.49	42.43%	11.5	91.21B
91	TNL	Travel + Leisure Co	$75.05	4.81%	$2.29	64.78%	18.0	4.29B
92	OGE	Oge Energy Corp	$50.82	4.81%	$1.68	72.64%	21.9	10.23B
93	PNW	Pinnacle West Capital	$103.83	4.80%	$3.52	68.58%	20.3	12.99B
94	BIPC	Brookfield Infrastructure-A	$38.17	4.76%	$1.44	14.55%	—	4.59B
95	C	Citigroup Inc	$118.45	4.69%	$2.96	37.55%	10.6	204.59B
96	TD	Toronto-Dominion Bank	$123.09	4.61%	$4.46	37.31%	18.6	300.95B
97	DAC	Danaos Corp	$157.02	4.61%	$3.41	12.85%	5.3	2.87B
98	BMY	Bristol-Myers Squibb Co	$63.13	4.58%	$2.51	71.52%	13.8	128.00B
99	KHC	Kraft Heinz Co/The	$25.32	4.58%	$1.60	70.37%	—	28.93B
100	POR	Portland General Electric Co	$45.74	4.58%	$2.00	73.53%	20.3	5.22B

Frequently Asked Questions

What are dividend stocks?

Dividend stocks are shares of companies that regularly distribute a portion of their profits to shareholders, typically on a quarterly basis. These cash payments provide investors with income in addition to any stock price appreciation. Dividend-paying companies tend to be mature, profitable businesses with stable cash flows — think utilities, banks, consumer staples, and healthcare companies.

What is a good dividend yield?

A good dividend yield typically falls between 2% and 6% for most investors. Yields below 2% may not provide meaningful income relative to safer alternatives like Treasury bonds. Yields above 6% often signal elevated risk — the stock price may have fallen sharply, pushing the yield up artificially. The average S&P 500 dividend yield is historically around 1.5–2%. Always evaluate yield alongside the payout ratio and earnings growth.

What is the dividend payout ratio?

The dividend payout ratio is the percentage of a company's earnings paid out as dividends. Ratios under 60% are generally considered sustainable and leave room for dividend increases. Ratios above 80% may indicate the dividend is at risk if earnings decline. REITs are an exception — they are required to distribute at least 90% of taxable income and typically have higher payout ratios.

How are dividends taxed?

In the U.S., qualified dividends are taxed at long-term capital gains rates: 0%, 15%, or 20% depending on your taxable income. Ordinary dividends are taxed at your regular income tax rate, which can be as high as 37%. To qualify for the lower rate, you must hold the stock for more than 60 days around the ex-dividend date. Dividends in IRAs or 401(k)s grow tax-deferred or tax-free.

What is the ex-dividend date?

The ex-dividend date is the cutoff date for receiving a declared dividend. If you buy a stock on or after this date, you will not receive the upcoming payment — the previous owner gets it. To be eligible, you must purchase at least one business day before. Stock prices typically drop by approximately the dividend amount on the ex-dividend date.

What are Dividend Aristocrats?

Dividend Aristocrats are S&P 500 companies that have increased their dividends for at least 25 consecutive years. This elite group includes around 65 companies spanning sectors like consumer staples, healthcare, industrials, and financials. Dividend Aristocrats have historically outperformed the broader S&P 500 with lower volatility.

Can you live off dividend income?

Living off dividends is possible but requires a substantial portfolio. At a 4% average yield, you would need approximately $750,000 to generate $30,000 annually, or $1.25 million for $50,000. Key considerations include building a diversified portfolio, focusing on dividend growth stocks rather than just the highest yields, accounting for taxes, and maintaining a cash buffer for periods when companies may cut payouts.

Is a high dividend yield always better?

No — an unusually high yield is often a warning sign known as a dividend trap. A yield above 7–8% frequently indicates the stock price has fallen sharply because the market expects a dividend cut. The best approach is to evaluate yield in context: check the payout ratio (under 60% is healthy), review earnings trends, and compare the yield to the company's own historical range. A moderate yield that grows consistently beats an unsustainably high one.