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If you are looking for an easy way to grow your nest egg, high-yield Coca-Cola, General Mills, and Realty Income should be on your shortlist.
Five sensational income stocks -- sporting yields ranging from 5.3% to 13.1% -- can fatten investors' pocketbooks in the new year.
The S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats tracks companies in the index that have raised dividends every year for at least 25 straight years. According to a report by S&P Global, this group has delivered higher returns with lower volatility than the broader market. That combination is not easy to achieve.
Top dividend stocks for 2026 include many that offer ultra-high yields of over 6%. The list features some stocks with low dividend yields but great growth prospects. S
Dividend Kings are companies that have raised their payouts for at least 50 consecutive years. To pull off that feat, companies must consistently grow earnings so they can afford the higher dividend expense. The dividend becomes a key priority for returning capital to shareholders and managing investor expectations.
A lot of that optimism comes back to earnings. Wall Street expects profits to keep growing into 2026, and analysts see S&P 500 earnings rising about 15.5% next year, up from an estimated 13.2% in 2025 and 12.1% in 2024, according to LSEG. That kind of steady progression matters when investors think about staying invested.
Blue-chip dividend stocks can offer income, returns and lower risk—but 2 trusted names may face a pullback. Read the full analysis here.
If you're looking for a balance of yield and safety, it's hard to find a better option than this 5.6% yield backed by 112 quarterly dividend increases.