Including High Income Stocks in a Dividend Growth Portfolio

Most of my articles on dividend investing contain a fair bit of warning about the dangers of high dividend stocks. This has caused several readers to question whether I should include high yielding stocks in their portfolios or not. In this article I would try to explain the advantages and disadvantages of these securities, and let readers decide for themselves whether they suit their investment objectives.First, I find stocks with above average yields helpful for retirees or future retirees who expect to start living off dividends up to the next 10 years. While dividend growth stocks are a great investment vehicle for the long run, it might take some time for them to start generating a sufficient yield on cost. For example it might take over a decade for a stock like Wal-Mart (WMT) with a current yield of 2% that raises dividends by 12% annually to reach a yield on cost of 8%. For the investor who needs to put food on the table for the next decade, Wal-Mart will likely be ignored due to its low yield in favor of a higher yielding stock such as Kinder Morgan Energy (KMP) or Royal Dutch Shell (RDS-B). A stock with a higher current yield which raises dividends minimally or not at all would provide the best yields for the next few years, provided that the company generates strong cash flows to support the distribution. If the investor simply chases high dividends without checking for their sustainability, they will be better off in cash and short -term maturities, rather than risk their principal on untested investments. If the distributions are sustainable, then the high dividend stock could be bought and held for current income.... Read more