Best 8 Dividend Stocks on the S&P 500

With 500 stocks to choose from, picking the top 8 Dividend Stocks might seem like a tall task. In reality the task can be made relatively easy by instituting a variety of important and stringent qualifications. Obviously paying dividends is a requirement, but income investors are looking for much more than that. For example, a long history of paying dividends and a low payout ratio signal that not only will companies pay dividends in the future, but also that they are willing and able to increase the upcoming payouts.Therefore, only “dividend champions,” stocks which have increased their dividend for at least 25 consecutive years, have been included. Additionally each stock has a payout ratio of 65% or less, signaling sustainability. Finally, current yield is reviewed; however a strong dividend growth rate carries more weight as this is often an overlooked metric for increasing future yield on... Read more