5 'Free' Dividend Stocks

The last decade has been touted as the lost decade for stock investors. The main reason why stock prices have gone nowhere since 2000, is mostly because stocks were overvalued. However, the shareholders of the following dividend champions, who purchased them at the end of 1999, were able to get more in dividends than the amount they paid for the stock. In essence, they received their original investment back in the form of dividends, while still retaining ownership of the shares and the future dividend income stream that comes along with it.In order to come up with this list, I looked for dividend champions, which paid out more in dividends between 2000 and 2010, than the price of their stock on December 31, 1999.Altria Group, Inc. (MO), through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, smokeless products, and wine in the United States and internationally.... Read more