11 Hottest, High-Dividend Stocks Year-to-Date

Despite the lackluster market, high-dividend investors who picked right are still smiling. Here are the 10 hottest high-dividend stocks (minimum 4% yields) in terms of year-to-date returns. Lorillard (LO) Year-to Date Return 37%, Yield 4.7% Cigarette maker’s brands include Newport, Kent, and others. Most of its sales come from mentholated products. Concerns that the U.S. government might restrict or oven ban mentholated cigarette sales recently pressured its share price, but such a government action now appears unlikely. Hickory Tech (HTCO) YTD Return 21%, Yield 4.8% A regional telephone company, Hickory Serves 52,000 local and long-distance landline customers, 20,000 broadband Internet customers, and 10,000 digital TV subscribers in Iowa and Minnesota. Rural telephone companies like Hickory generate plenty of cash to pay dividends, but don’t offer much growth potential. Reynolds American (RAI) YTD 18%, Yield 5.7% Second largest cigarette maker (Altria is largest). Brands include Camel, Kool, Winston, and Pall Mall.... Read more