To begin with, dividend-paying companies often have time-tested business models. A business is unlikely to pay a recurring dividend to investors if its management team didn't believe profits would grow in the future. Thus, dividend stocks are often a beacon of profitability and stability that attract income seekers.
Dividend stocks also help to hedge against inevitable stock market corrections -- there have been 35 stock market corrections of at least 10% since 1950 in the S&P 500 -- and payouts can be reinvested back into more shares of stock via a Dividend Reinvestment Plan, or DRIP. Purchasing more shares of dividend-paying stock with your payout in a repeating cycle can help your nest egg quickly compound in value over time.
Unfortunately, dividend stocks can also harbor a dark side. Income seekers would like the highest dividend yield possible, but they also have to ensure that a payout is sustainable. Dividend yields are a function of a stock's price, meaning a plunging stock price can dramatically lift dividend yields, making them seem attractive, at least on the surface. But, as we know, a plunging stock price could signify a business model that's in trouble. Thus, high-yield dividends, or those with yields of 4% or higher, should be heavily scrutinized by investors.
The yields on dividend stocks rise when their share prices become depressed. That’s an opportunity to chase extra yield. Besides, the best dividend-paying stocks do their most good when they are held for long periods of time. Ideally, the holding period includes many dividend hikes and market cycles.
In the beginning of this New Year, many investors review their portfolios. We all hope for a good year on the market and, most importantly, steady dividend growth increase among our portfolio. I selected some high yielding long term dividend growth stocks I think will perform well in 2017 and will increase their dividend payouts.
These are the results...
