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 Sep 12, 2026

5.47% Avg Dividend Yield

55.5% Avg Payout Ratio

15.8 Avg P/E Ratio

$15.18T 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	$35.08	21.85%	$2.01	70.00%	5.6	22.60B
2	SBLK	Star Bulk Carriers Corp	$30.93	20.75%	$0.30	40.84%	12.0	3.44B
3	BWLP	Bw Lpg Ltd	$25.13	20.70%	$1.32	82.48%	10.4	34.92B
4	MCHB	Mechanics Bancorp-A	$15.37	16.60%	$0.40	18.27%	16.2	3.56B
5	HAFN	Hafnia Ltd	$9.38	16.45%	$0.40	58.48%	9.9	41.88B
6	DHT	Dht Holdings Inc	$20.87	15.83%	$0.74	56.33%	7.5	3.57B
7	OMF	Onemain Holdings Inc	$62.75	10.45%	$4.22	63.73%	9.3	7.22B
8	WU	Western Union Co	$6.97	10.26%	$0.95	61.85%	5.4	2.15B
9	HTGC	Hercules Capital Inc	$17.44	10.22%	$1.85	95.95%	8.5	3.25B
10	OGN	Organon & Co	$13.78	9.86%	$0.34	47.06%	17.1	3.58B
11	GBDC	Golub Capital Bdc Inc	$12.79	9.74%	$1.56	97.76%	19.2	3.30B
12	ARCC	Ares Capital Corp	$19.74	9.65%	$1.82	97.31%	14.7	14.13B
13	DVN	Devon Energy Corp	$50.23	9.31%	$0.97	23.43%	16.6	54.46B
14	CALM	Cal-Maine Foods Inc	$73.98	9.00%	$4.85	73.14%	10.9	3.46B
15	TFSL	Tfs Financial Corp	$17.01	8.29%	$0.21	65.45%	47.1	4.81B
16	FRO	Frontline Plc	$49.21	8.18%	$0.93	54.62%	7.4	10.96B
17	FIBK	First Interstate Bancsys-A	$36.92	7.76%	$1.89	64.32%	10.9	3.52B
18	HESM	Hess Midstream Lp - Class A	$39.97	7.73%	$1.65	99.23%	22.0	8.24B
19	LNC	Lincoln National Corp	$43.84	7.48%	$2.31	35.34%	3.5	8.25B
20	ICL	Icl Group Ltd	$5.66	7.42%	$0.17	99.12%	24.3	22.54B
21	LAZ	Lazard Inc	$41.10	7.25%	$2.03	78.78%	17.7	4.01B
22	NWBI	Northwest Bancshares Inc	$15.50	7.22%	$0.80	87.22%	14.9	2.27B
23	BCE	Bce Inc	$23.39	7.20%	$2.36	33.70%	4.7	29.96B
24	STLA	Stellantis Nv	$5.40	7.15%	$0.68	84.98%	—	17.11B
25	BNS	Bank Of Nova Scotia	$93.45	7.05%	$4.74	75.43%	15.8	158.27B
26	APAM	Artisan Partners Asset Ma -A	$37.91	7.03%	$3.19	88.56%	10.7	3.22B
27	CRH	Crh Plc	$88.55	6.99%	$2.49	26.54%	15.4	59.10B
28	T	AT&T Inc.	$26.06	6.85%	$1.15	37.26%	8.2	177.44B
29	UGI	Ugi Corp	$37.99	6.84%	$1.50	47.49%	13.6	8.17B
30	MAIN	Main Street Capital Corp	$56.22	6.83%	$3.81	68.76%	12.2	5.22B
31	KEY	Keycorp	$21.84	6.81%	$0.95	57.63%	11.5	23.28B
32	WHR	Whirlpool Corp	$35.21	6.78%	$5.41	94.64%	12.5	2.33B
33	FTAI	Ftai Aviation Ltd	$186.06	6.67%	$1.42	29.03%	38.5	19.11B
34	FANG	Diamondback Energy Inc	$204.97	6.63%	$4.02	69.47%	39.2	57.51B
35	TFC	Truist Financial Corp	$50.40	6.55%	$2.32	56.45%	10.6	61.61B
36	COLB	Columbia Banking System Inc	$30.11	6.55%	$1.33	60.91%	11.9	8.46B
37	KMI	Kinder Morgan Inc	$30.86	6.51%	$1.17	85.21%	20.0	69.23B
38	CM	Can Imperial Bk Of Commerce	$114.64	6.48%	$4.27	47.37%	14.2	143.84B
39	NTB	Bank Of N.T. Butterfield&Son	$60.24	6.39%	$1.86	33.51%	10.1	2.36B
40	PFS	Provident Financial Services	$23.43	6.32%	$0.96	43.24%	9.8	3.05B
41	CFG	Citizens Financial Group	$70.48	6.25%	$2.04	48.50%	13.8	29.33B
42	IFS	Intercorp Financial Services	$54.73	6.25%	$3.63	21.05%	10.2	6.32B
43	MMM	3M Co	$164.97	6.25%	$2.92	48.06%	28.2	84.54B
44	VZ	Verizon Communications	$50.61	6.14%	$2.72	66.85%	12.8	207.61B
45	JHG	Janus Henderson Group Plc	$51.95	6.07%	$1.60	30.54%	10.2	8.00B
46	STKAF	ST Engineering Ltd	$3.05	6.06%	$0.22	63.56%	11.9	10.39B
47	RF	Regions Financial Corp	$30.13	5.98%	$1.13	46.52%	11.5	25.65B
48	EMA	Emera Inc	$49.19	5.95%	$2.18	59.78%	20.2	21.04B
49	BTI	British American Tobacco p.l.c.	$55.24	5.90%	$2.39	67.47%	11.6	89.90B
50	IVZ	Invesco Ltd	$32.28	5.79%	$1.30	78.51%	—	14.36B
51	F	Ford Motor Co	$13.97	5.77%	$0.73	53.04%	—	55.99B
52	FSUGY	Fortescue Ltd	$24.43	5.75%	$0.93	84.52%	12.4	64.56B
53	IMBBY	Imperial Brands PLC	$33.50	5.74%	$1.88	75.23%	10.5	21.70B
54	HBAN	Huntington Bancshares Inc	$16.86	5.70%	$0.67	45.95%	14.2	34.12B
55	D	Dominion Energy Inc	$64.36	5.69%	$2.63	75.98%	22.7	57.45B
56	OKE	Oneok Inc	$96.62	5.67%	$4.26	76.13%	16.6	60.67B
57	MFC	Manulife Financial Corp	$43.49	5.53%	$1.94	57.16%	14.8	99.79B
58	PM	Philip Morris International	$191.06	5.51%	$5.54	76.00%	27.6	300.35B
59	FHB	First Hawaiian Inc	$25.76	5.45%	$1.05	47.40%	10.9	3.11B
60	TTE	Totalenergies Se	$91.89	5.40%	$3.70	61.86%	11.4	174.96B
61	SCCO	Southern Copper Corp	$193.49	5.39%	$3.06	57.33%	29.6	167.42B
62	NWN	Northwest Natural Holding Co	$49.96	5.35%	$1.89	68.22%	16.2	2.04B
63	MC	Moelis & Co - Class A	$64.03	5.34%	$2.74	89.56%	22.8	5.21B
64	BMO	Bank Of Montreal	$174.88	5.33%	$7.00	57.77%	18.3	167.68B
65	AVA	Avista Corp	$36.79	5.30%	$1.96	82.38%	13.6	3.09B
66	BBY	Best Buy Co Inc	$90.80	5.29%	$3.81	74.93%	15.0	19.04B
67	BTG	B2Gold Corp	$5.38	5.29%	$0.08	25.74%	8.8	9.79B
68	BAP	Credicorp Ltd	$377.90	5.27%	$40.07	45.94%	13.7	30.11B
69	PRU	Prudential Financial Inc	$119.24	5.22%	$5.48	53.86%	10.5	41.15B
70	ING	ING Groep N.V.	$37.27	5.20%	$1.29	61.38%	7.2	68.56B
71	USB	Us Bancorp	$62.84	5.16%	$2.25	46.26%	12.0	98.14B
72	KALU	Kaiser Aluminum Corp	$157.00	5.16%	$3.16	45.60%	11.4	2.59B
73	FITB	Fifth Third Bancorp	$54.72	5.14%	$1.75	46.11%	22.8	49.47B
74	SNY	Sanofi	$42.77	5.10%	$3.79	85.29%	7.8	97.65B
75	PBI	Pitney Bowes Inc	$17.17	5.08%	$0.31	35.29%	12.5	2.34B
76	DBSDY	DBS Group Holdings Ltd	$241.80	5.08%	$2.87	74.55%	14.9	162.83B
77	EVRG	Evergy Inc	$81.62	5.06%	$2.66	71.66%	20.4	18.88B
78	CCEP	Coca-Cola Europacific Partne	$102.77	5.03%	$2.04	47.73%	19.7	45.63B
79	NWE	Northwestern Energy Group In	$69.24	5.01%	$2.63	89.12%	24.9	4.26B
80	BOH	Bank Of Hawaii Corp	$75.82	5.01%	$3.37	65.10%	12.7	2.99B
81	SR	Spire Inc	$80.20	4.97%	$3.38	72.51%	8.7	4.78B
82	TROW	T Rowe Price Group Inc	$106.29	4.97%	$5.18	54.76%	10.3	22.77B
83	ASB	Associated Banc-Corp	$30.04	4.96%	$1.01	35.23%	11.3	5.68B
84	SFNC	Simmons First Natl Corp-Cl A	$23.13	4.95%	$0.85	69.05%	—	3.34B
85	FHN	First Horizon Corp	$24.47	4.94%	$0.67	34.59%	11.0	11.60B
86	CAG	Conagra Brands Inc	$14.60	4.91%	$1.40	58.07%	—	6.88B
87	SU	Suncor Energy Inc	$68.83	4.88%	$2.30	47.47%	12.5	111.48B
88	BKH	Black Hills Corp	$71.30	4.88%	$2.69	67.87%	18.4	5.50B
89	DTM	Dt Midstream Inc	$128.86	4.83%	$108.44	73.47%	37.2	13.15B
90	PNC	Pnc Financial Services Group	$244.24	4.82%	$7.49	42.43%	12.8	97.71B
91	TNL	Travel + Leisure Co	$66.74	4.81%	$2.29	64.78%	17.2	4.09B
92	OGE	Oge Energy Corp	$46.55	4.81%	$1.68	72.64%	20.7	9.66B
93	PNW	Pinnacle West Capital	$96.10	4.80%	$3.52	68.58%	18.4	11.74B
94	BIPC	Brookfield Infrastructure-A	$37.01	4.76%	$1.44	14.55%	—	4.55B
95	C	Citigroup Inc	$138.82	4.69%	$2.96	37.55%	13.1	233.06B
96	TD	Toronto-Dominion Bank	$120.97	4.61%	$4.46	37.31%	17.4	280.98B
97	DAC	Danaos Corp	$155.26	4.61%	$3.41	12.85%	5.3	2.87B
98	BMY	Bristol-Myers Squibb Co	$63.64	4.58%	$2.51	71.52%	13.9	129.40B
99	KHC	Kraft Heinz Co/The	$24.60	4.58%	$1.60	70.37%	—	28.93B
100	POR	Portland General Electric Co	$48.24	4.58%	$2.00	73.53%	22.3	5.72B

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.