Sure, S&P 500 (^GSPC +1.20%) After messing with reform, it has returned. However, many growth stocks remain highly volatile. Bond yields have increased. Whether they remain at attractive levels depends largely on the Federal Reserve’s next actions – and the Fed is virtually paralyzed by uncertainty about inflation and the job market.
However, now is a good time to invest in dividend stocks with above-average yields. Typical stocks in this group pay attractive dividends, generate strong cash flows, have flexible business models and have a long track record of being reliable sources of income. Here are my picks for the best High-Yield Dividend Stocks To buy for 2026 and beyond.
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1. AbbVie
AbbVie‘S (ABBV 0.29%) The forward dividend yield of 3.3% is just over twice the S&P 500’s 1.1% yield, which is the range I use for high-yield dividend stocks. However, big pharma stocks still make the cut and offer investors more than just an attractive yield.
I would rank AbbVie as dividend king Top of the list. Dividend Kings are stocks that have increased their dividends for at least 50 consecutive years. AbbVie has raised its dividend for 53 consecutive years, including the time it was part of Abbott Labs (abt +1.40%).
today’s change
(-0.29%) $-0.61
current price
$208.38
key data points
market cap
$369B
day limit
$207.82 -$212.35
52wk range
$168.54 -$244.81
volume
9m
average volume
7.1M
gross margin
70.12%
dividend yield
3.23%
Value investors should like AbbVie almost as much as income investors. The stock trades at just 14.3 times forward earnings, which is well below the average forward price-to-earnings ratio of 20 for the S&P 500 and 17.4 for the S&P 500 Healthcare sector.
This high-yield dividend stock should also deliver solid growth over the next few years. AbbVie’s lineup includes several drugs with strong sales momentum, notably autoimmune disease drugs Rinvoq and Skyrizi. The company’s pipeline includes several promising late-stage programs that may drive future growth.
2. Enbridge
Enbridge (ENB +0.23%) Offers a tasty dividend yield of 5.4%. The company also has a strong track record of dividend growth, having increased its dividend for 31 consecutive years.
Many stocks in the energy sector are volatile, swinging up and down with oil prices. However, Enbridge is more stable. It operates more than 18,000 miles of crude oil pipeline and more than 19,000 miles of natural gas pipeline. These pipelines are similar to toll roads, charging based on volume rather than commodity prices.
today’s change
(0.23%) $0.12
current price
$52.69
key data points
market cap
$115B
day limit
$51.72 -$52.77
52wk range
$43.59 -$55.44
volume
308K
average volume
5.3M
gross margin
32.74%
dividend yield
5.20%
Apart from being on top pipeline stockEnbridge is North America’s largest natural gas utility by volume. It delivers approximately 9.3 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day to 7.1 million customers. The utility component of the company’s business provides it with even greater stability.
There is more good news about this stock. By the end of the decade Enbridge had seen significant growth, with approximately $50 billion of opportunities identified. The company expects growth in all aspects of its business, especially natural gas transmission.
3. Realty Income
realty income‘S (O +0.65%) The dividend yield is currently 5%. Like Enbridge, it is a real estate investment trust (REIT) has increased its dividend for 31 consecutive years. However, one major difference to Realty Income is that it pays monthly rather than quarterly dividends.
The REIT’s highly diversified portfolio is a big plus. Realty Income owns 15,511 properties with an occupancy rate of 98.9%. Its customer base includes 1,761 tenants representing 92 industries. Many of its tenants serve flexible markets such as grocery stores, convenience stores, home improvement stores, and dollar stores.
today’s change
(0.65%) $0.42
current price
$65.06
key data points
market cap
$61B
day limit
$64.27 -$65.27
52wk range
$54.38 -$67.94
volume
160K
average volume
6.3M
gross margin
48.73%
dividend yield
4.97%
I like Realty Income’s track record during challenging periods. For example, REIT occupancy rates have never fallen below 96.6% this century – even during the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic.
What about Realty Income’s growth prospects? They look good too. The company has particularly promising opportunities in Europe, where the total addressable market is $8.5 trillion and competition is limited.