Generating a meaningful stream of current income is a top priority for any dividend investor. Whether you’re retired, nearing retirement, or just starting out, a juicy dividend yield can make a great complement to your portfolio – just remember to look under the hood and steer clear of dividend value traps.
For those yield-starved investors out there, below we have compiled a list of high-yielding securities of all types, including:
- U.S. Large Cap Stocks
- U.S. Mid Cap Stocks
- U.S. Small Cap Stocks
- U.S. Micro Cap Stocks
- Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
- Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs)
- American Depository Receipts (ADRs)
- Exchange-Traded Products (ETFs and ETNs)
Please note this list is limited to DARS-rated securities that boasted an annualized dividend yield above 5% as of 1/13/2015. To see a list of all dividend-paying securities, please visit the Dividend.com Screener.
U.S. Large Cap Stocks
This includes domestic equities with a market capitalization above $10 billion:
| Ticker | Name | Yield |
|---|---|---|
| (T ) | AT&T | 5.61% |
| (CTL ) | CenturyLink Inc. | 5.59% |
| (WMB ) | Williams Cos. | 5.52% |
| (FCX ) | Freeport McMoran | 5.42% |
| (CM ) | Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce | 5.30% |
| (BNS ) | Bank of Nova Scotia | 5.10% |
U.S. Mid Cap Stocks
This includes domestic equities with a market capitalization between $2 billion and $10 billion:
| Ticker | Name | Yield |
|---|---|---|
| (WIN) | Windstream Corp | 12.03% |
| (NE ) | Noble Corp | 9.44% |
| (BTE) | Baytex Energy Corp | 8.73% |
| (TAC ) | Transalta Corp | 7.89% |
| (UFS ) | Domtar Corp | 7.84% |
| (VGR ) | Vector Group | 7.30% |
| (VET ) | Vermillion Energy, Inc. | 6.62% |
| (RRD ) | RR Donnelley | 6.52% |
| (ENBL ) | Enable Midstream Partners LP | 6.46% |
| (NYCB ) | NY Community Bancorp | 6.35% |
| (SLM ) | SLM Corporation | 6.20% |
| (LAMR ) | Lamar Advertising Co | 6.17% |
| (GEO) | The Geo Group, Inc. | 6.02% |
| (FTR ) | Frontier Communications | 5.93% |
| (FWLT ) | Foster Wheeler AG | 5.81% |
| (GLNG ) | Golar LNG Ltd. | 5.79% |
| (OKE ) | ONEOK Inc. | 5.74% |
| (MIC ) | Macquarie Infrastructure Company LLC | 5.64% |
| (CXW) | Corrections Corp of Amercia | 5.40% |
| (CBSO) | CBS Outdoor Americas Inc | 5.38% |
| (MAT) | Mattel | 5.26% |
| (ORI ) | Old Republic International Corp | 5.12% |
U.S. Small Cap Stocks
This includes domestic equities with a market capitalization between $300 million and $2 billion:
| Ticker | Name | Yield |
|---|---|---|
| (PWE) | Penn West Petroleum Ltd | 34.57% |
| (PGH) | Pengrowth Energy Corp | 17.27% |
| (TICC) | TICC Capital Corp | 15.16% |
| (BPT ) | BP Prudhoe Bay Royalty Trust | 15.12% |
| (FSC) | Fifth Street Finance | 13.72% |
| (ERF ) | Enerplus Corporation | 13.09% |
| (PNNT ) | Pennantpark Investment Corp | 12.03% |
| (AMTG) | Apollo Residential Mortgage Inc | 11.31% |
| (SFL ) | Ship Finance International | 11.26% |
| Liquid error: internal | Apollo Investment Corporation | 10.90% |
| (HGT) | Hugoton Royalty Trust | 10.40% |
| (BKCC ) | BlackRock Kelso Capital Corporation | 10.17% |
| (TCAP) | Triangle Capital Corp | 10.10% |
| (ANH ) | Anworth Mortgage | 9.39% |
| (SBR ) | Sabine Royalty Trust | 9.14% |
| (FELP ) | Foresight Energy LP | 9.03% |
| (GOOD ) | Gladstone Commercial | 8.65% |
| (CODI ) | Compass Diversified Holdings | 8.47% |
| (HTGC ) | Hercules Technology Growth Capital | 8.44% |
| (CLF) | Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. | 7.79% |
| (HCLP) | Hi-Crush Partners LP | 7.74% |
| (SSW ) | Seaspan | 7.58% |
| (NAT ) | Nordic American Tankers | 7.55% |
| (ABR ) | Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. | 7.53% |
| (SJT ) | San Juan Basin Royalty Trust | 7.17% |
| (TAL ) | TAL International Group | 7.03% |
| (NSH ) | NuStar GP Holdings, LLC. | 6.81% |
| (RIGP) | Transocean Partners LLC | 6.80% |
| (MAIN ) | Main Street Capital Corp | 6.66% |
| (WTI ) | W&T Offshore Inc. | 6.63% |
| (NL ) | NL Industries | 6.54% |
| (CNSL) | Consolidated Communications Holdings | 6.42% |
| (ELRC) | Electro Rent | 6.00% |
| (TGH ) | Textainer Group Holdings | 5.95% |
| (NCMI) | National Cinemedia | 5.95% |
| (PBT) | Permian Basin Royalty Trust Units Ben. Int. | 5.84% |
| (NM ) | Navios Maritime | 5.77% |
| (ARES ) | Ares Management LP | 5.50% |
| (EBF ) | Ennis, Inc. | 5.49% |
| (QUAD ) | Quad Graphics | 5.45% |
| (BGC ) | General Cable Corporation | 5.41% |
| (BGCP) | BGC Partners | 5.38% |
| (BLX ) | Banco Latinoamericano | 5.36% |
| (UVV ) | Universal Corp | 5.29% |
| (OB) | One Beacon Insurance Group | 5.19% |
| (EXL) | Excel Trust Inc. | 5.07% |
| (CCG) | Campus Crest Communities | 5.06% |
U.S. Micro Cap Stocks
This includes domestic equities with a market capitalization below $300 million:
| Ticker | Name | Yield |
|---|---|---|
| (PER ) | Sandridge Permian Trust | 43.45% |
| (SDR ) | SandRidge Mississippian Trust II | 41.18% |
| (WHZ) | Whiting USA Trust II | 40.86% |
| Liquid error: internal | Chesapeake Granite Wash Trust | 37.73% |
| (VOC ) | VOC Energy Trust | 29.02% |
| (SDT ) | SandRidge Mississippian Trust | 28.70% |
| (MSB ) | Mesabi Trust | 19.78% |
| (ROYT ) | Pacific Coast Oil Trust | 16.70% |
| (KCAP) | Kohlberg Capital | 14.88% |
| (CRT) | Cross Timbers Royalty Trust Units | 13.66% |
| (NRT ) | North European Oil Royalty Trust Ctf Ben Int | 12.37% |
| (DOM) | Dominion Resources Trust | 11.63% |
| (NGPC) | NGP Capital Resources | 10.44% |
| (NDRO) | Enduro Royalty Trust | 10.26% |
| (TAXI) | Medallion Financial | 9.79% |
| (CRK) | Comstock Resources Inc | 9.71% |
| (KNOP ) | KNOT Offshore Partners LP | 9.09% |
| (MTR) | Mesa Royalty Trust Units Ben Int | 8.31% |
| (CAW) | CCA Industries | 8.24% |
| (GAIN ) | Gladstone Investment | 8.21% |
| (LDR) | Landauer Inc. | 7.09% |
| (ISH) | International Shipholding Corp. | 6.59% |
| (JCS ) | Communications Systems | 6.03% |
| (CRRC) | Courier Corp | 5.77% |
| (CZNC ) | Citizens & Northern Corp | 5.16% |
| (DEST ) | Destination Maternity Corporation | 5.05% |
| (TIS) | Orchids Paper Products Co. | 5.03% |
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
This includes special types of corporations that are federally obligated to invest only in real estate; more importantly, as long as REITs pay out at least 90% of their earnings in the form of dividends, the companies are not required to pay income taxes.
To learn more, please refer to The Definitive Guide To REITs.
| Ticker | Name | Yield |
|---|---|---|
| (WMC ) | Western Asset Mortgage Capital Corp | 20.23% |
| (RSO) | Resource Capital | 16.56% |
| (MTGE) | American Capital Mortgage Investment Corp | 13.70% |
| (CYS) | CYS Investments, Inc. | 13.61% |
| (AGNC ) | American Capital Agency | 12.05% |
| (DX ) | Dynex Capital | 11.81% |
| (IVR ) | Invesco Mortgage Capital | 11.62% |
| (NLY ) | Annaly Capital | 11.10% |
| (CMO ) | Capstead Mortgage | 11.06% |
| (HTS) | Hatteras Financial Corp | 10.76% |
| (ARCP) | American Realty Capital Properties Inc | 10.59% |
| (MFA ) | MFA Mortgage Investments | 10.04% |
| (ARI ) | Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. | 9.77% |
| Liquid error: internal | Cogdell Spencer | 9.41% |
| (NRF) | Northstar Realty Financial Corp | 8.83% |
| (STWD ) | Starwood Property Trust | 8.08% |
| (UMH ) | UMH Properties | 7.42% |
| (GOV) | Government Properties Income Trust | 7.41% |
| (SIR) | Select Income REIT | 7.41% |
| (SNH ) | Senior Housing Properties Trust | 6.84% |
| (OLP ) | One Liberty Properties | 6.46% |
| (CLI ) | Mack-Cali Realty | 6.21% |
| (HPT ) | Hospitality Properties Trust | 6.11% |
| Liquid error: internal | Investors Real Estate Trust | 6.05% |
| (LXP ) | Lexington Realty Trust | 6.01% |
| (CLNY ) | Colony Financial Inc. | 5.97% |
| (FSP ) | Franklin Street Properties | 5.97% |
| Liquid error: internal | Mission West Properties | 5.68% |
| (MPW ) | Medical Properties Trust | 5.67% |
| (RWT ) | Redwood Trust | 5.65% |
| (ADC ) | Agree Realty Corp | 5.61% |
| (SNR ) | New Senior Investment Group Inc | 5.43% |
| (SRC ) | Spirit Realty Capital Inc | 5.37% |
| (WPC ) | W.P. Carey Inc. | 5.29% |
| (IRC) | Inland Real Estate | 5.16% |
| (EPR ) | EPR Properties | 5.15% |
| (CBL ) | CBL & Associates Properties | 5.15% |
| (PCC) | PMC Commercial Trust | 5.15% |
| (LRY) | Liberty Properties | 5.14% |
| (MNR) | Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corp | 5.11% |
Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs)
This includes limited partnerships that trade like normal stocks; because of their special tax designation, MLPs pass the tax burden on to their shareholders, but they are also required to pay the vast majority of their earnings out to their partners.
To learn more, please refer to Everything Dividend Investors Need To Know About MLPs.
| Ticker | Name | Yield |
|---|---|---|
| (MCEP ) | Mid-Con Energy Partners LP | 38.36% |
| (LRE) | LRR Energy L.P. | 31.39% |
| (ARP) | Atlas Resource Partners, L.P. | 25.13% |
| (LGCY) | Legacy Reserves L.P. | 23.55% |
| (EVEP) | EV Energy Partners L.P. | 18.34% |
| (NTI) | Northern Tier Energy LP | 17.71% |
| (BBEP) | Breitburn Energy Partners L.P. | 17.66% |
| (VNR) | Vanguard Natural Resouces, LLC. | 16.81% |
| (NRP ) | National Resource Partners L.P. | 16.15% |
| (MEMP) | Memorial Production Partners LP | 14.74% |
| (NMM ) | Navios Maritime Partners L.P. | 14.26% |
| (QRE) | QR Energy LP | 13.59% |
| (HLSS) | Home Loan Servicing Solutions Ltd. | 13.42% |
| (EROC) | Eagle Rock Energy Partners L.P. | 13.08% |
| (SXE) | Southcross Energy Partners, L.P. | 13.07% |
| (MMLP ) | Martin Midstream Partners L.P. | 12.21% |
| (LINE) | Linn Energy LLC. | 12.09% |
| (CLMT) | Calumet Specialty Products L.P. | 12.02% |
| (PDH) | PetroLogistics LP | 11.31% |
| (CPLP ) | Capital Product Partners L.P. | 11.20% |
| (APL) | Atlas Pipeline Partners LP | 10.46% |
| (CMLP) | Crestwood Midstream Partners L.P. | 10.31% |
| (UAN ) | CVR Partners L.P. | 10.12% |
| (EXLP) | Exterran Partners L.P. | 9.90% |
| (STON ) | StoneMor Partners L.P. | 9.51% |
| (NGL) | NGL Energy Partners L.P. | 9.37% |
| (TOO ) | Teekay Offshore Partners L.P. | 9.26% |
| (WPZ) | Williams Partners L.P. | 9.22% |
| (RGP ) | Regency Energy Partners L.P. | 9.21% |
| (DSE) | Duff & Phelps Select Energy MLP | 9.06% |
| (FGP ) | Ferrellgas Partners L.P. | 8.66% |
| (GMLP ) | Golar LNG Partners LP | 8.50% |
| (TLP) | Transmontaigne Partners L.P. | 8.17% |
| (OKS) | Oneok Partners L.P. | 8.08% |
| (SPH ) | Suburban Propane L.P. | 8.07% |
| (ATLS ) | Atlas Energy L.P. | 7.85% |
| (NS) | NuStar Energy L.P. | 7.71% |
| (NGLS) | Targa Resources Partners L.P. | 7.33% |
| (GLP ) | Global Partners L.P. | 7.27% |
| (APU ) | AmeriGas Partners L.P. | 7.13% |
| (DMLP ) | Dorchester Minerals, L.P. | 7.06% |
| (DPM) | DCP Midstream Partners L.P. | 7.04% |
| (AB ) | AllianceBernstein Holding L.P. | 7.00% |
| (TGP ) | Teekay LNG Partners L.P. | 6.87% |
| (OZM ) | Och-Ziff Capital Management | 6.87% |
| (NRGM) | Inergy Midstream LP | 6.84% |
| (HEP ) | Holly Energy Partners L.P. | 6.77% |
| (IEP ) | Icahn Enterprises L.P. | 6.59% |
| (MWE) | Markwest Energy Partners L.P. | 6.47% |
| (ARLP ) | Alliance Resource Partners L.P. | 6.44% |
| (ETP) | Energy Transfer Partners L.P. | 6.32% |
| (BPL ) | Buckeye Partners L.P. | 6.17% |
| (AHGP) | Alliance Holdings Group | 6.07% |
| (LGP) | Lehigh Gas Partners | 5.97% |
| (TNH) | Terra Nitrogen Company L.P. | 5.94% |
| (EEP) | Enbridge Energy Partners L.P. | 5.92% |
| (EPB) | El Paso Partners Pipeline L.P. | 5.90% |
| (GEL ) | Genesis Energy L.P. | 5.84% |
| (SMLP ) | Summit Midstream Partners LP | 5.81% |
| (FUN) | Cedar Fair L.P. | 5.78% |
| (CQP) | Cheniere Energy Partners L.P. | 5.70% |
| (RRMS) | Rose Rock Midstream L.P. | 5.67% |
| (PAA ) | Plains All American Pipeline L.P. | 5.55% |
| (DKL ) | Delek Logistics Partners LP | 5.49% |
| (KMP) | Kinder Morgan Energy Partners L.P. | 5.49% |
| (ENLK) | EnLink Midstream Partners LP | 5.24% |
| (TCP ) | TC Pipelines L.P. | 5.18% |
| (ACMP) | Access Midstream Partners LP | 5.01% |
American Depository Receipts (ADRs)
This includes foreign dividend stocks that are based outside of the U.S., but have shares that trade on U.S. exchanges:
| Ticker | Name | Yield |
|---|---|---|
| (SBS ) | Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo-SABESP ADR (Sponsored) | 15.82% |
| (PT) | Portugal Telecom S.A. | 15.56% |
| (ESV) | Ensco plc | 10.57% |
| (SAN ) | Banco Santander, S.A. | 8.20% |
| (FLY ) | Fly Leasing Ltd. | 7.29% |
| (TGA ) | TransGlobe Energy Corporation (USA) | 6.85% |
| (MT ) | ArcelorMittal | 6.76% |
| (BP ) | BP PLC | 6.66% |
| (IBN ) | Icici Bank Ltd. | 6.55% |
| (E ) | Eni | 6.49% |
| (CPL ) | CPFL Energia S.A | 6.47% |
| (STO) | Statoil | 6.30% |
| (TOT ) | Total S.A. | 6.27% |
| (RDS-A ) | Royal Dutch Shell plc | 5.97% |
| (WBK ) | Westpac Banking | 5.92% |
| (GSK ) | GlaxoSmithKline PLC | 5.71% |
| (TSP ) | Telecomunicacoes de Sao Paulo S.A. | 5.70% |
| (FTE) | France Telecom | 5.61% |
| (BCE ) | BCE Inc. | 5.39% |
| (GA) | Giant Interactive Group | 5.37% |
| (BHP ) | BHP Billiton Ltd. | 5.27% |
Exchange-Traded Products (ETFs and ETNs)
This includes dividend-paying funds that trade like regular stocks:
| Ticker | Name | Yield |
|---|---|---|
| (MLPL) | UBS E-TRACS 2x Leveraged Long Alerian MLP Infrastructure Index | 13.54% |
| (YYY ) | YieldShares High Income ETF | 11.36% |
| (LVL) | Claymore Exchange-Traded Fund Trust | 8.75% |
| (BDCS ) | UBS E-TRACS Linked to the Wells Fargo Business Development Company Index | 8.55% |
| (KBWD ) | Invesco PowerShares KBW High Dividend Yield Financial Portfolio | 8.51% |
| Liquid error: internal | Arrow DJ Global Yield ETF | 8.02% |
| (EDIV ) | SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Dividend ETF | 7.96% |
| (DVYL) | UBS ETRACS Monthly Pay 2x Leveraged Dow Jones Select Dividend Index ETN | 7.69% |
| (DVYE ) | iShares Emerging Markets Dividend Index Fund | 7.35% |
| Liquid error: internal | Alerian MLP ETF | 6.97% |
| (SDIV ) | Global X SuperDividend ETF | 6.37% |
| (PGX ) | PowerShares Preferred Portfolio | 5.96% |
| (CVY ) | Claymore/Zacks Multi-Asset Inc Idx | 5.77% |
| (MLPG ) | UBS E-TRACS Alerian Natural Gas MLP Index | 5.75% |
| (PGF ) | PowerShares Financials Preferred Portfolio | 5.71% |
| (AMJ ) | JPMorgan Alerian MLP Index ETN | 5.60% |
| (AMU ) | ETRACS Alerian MLP Index ETN | 5.60% |
| (PFF ) | iShares S&P US Preferred Stock Index Fund | 5.47% |
| (SDYL ) | ETRACS Monthly Pay 2xLeveraged S&P Dividend ETN | 5.31% |
| (RWXL) | ETRACS Monthly Pay 2XLeveraged Dow Jones International Real Estate ETN | 5.28% |
| (MLPW) | UBS E-TRACS Wells Fargo MLP Index | 5.18% |
| (MLPI ) | UBS E-TRACS Alerian MLP Infrastructure Index | 5.16% |
The Bottom Line
High-yielding securities are lucrative for obvious reasons; however, what’s not so obvious is separating the “great bargains” from the “dividend traps” out there. Our Best Dividend Stocks list takes much of this guesswork out of the equation and this list can serve as a great starting point for those looking to hone in on fundamentally-sound, dividend paying stocks with attractive growth potential.
