Dividend Investors Should Boost Technology Exposure, Be Cautious With Energy

What a difference a decade makes! Who would have thought about dividend investors having a choice between Exxon (XOM) and Intel (INTC) back in 2001? Ten years ago, INTC yielded a paltry 0.3%, while XOM's dividend offered a 2.2% return. Most Technology companies didn't pay dividends back then, but many do now, with even Cisco (CSCO), a notable holdout, recently declaring an initial payment.Today, several Large-Cap Technology companies offer dividend yields of at least 150% of the 1.8% yield on the S&P 500. Here are thoses names above 2.7%: Paychex (PAYX) - 3.9% Intel (INTC) - 3.7% Microchip (MCHP) - 3.6% Linear Technology (LLTC) - 2.9% Molex (MOLX) - 2.8% National Semiconductor (NSM) - 2.8% Automatic Data Processing (ADP) - 2.8% With the recent run-up in the prices of Energy stocks, these yields compare favorably. In fact, there are only 3 names in the S&P 500 that make the... Read more