All About Dividends - Dozens of Articles From buyupside.com

A dividend is a cash payment usually made each quarter to shareholders. A company that has free cash after meeting its financial obligations can elect to give some of that cash to its shareholders in the form of dividends. High-yield sectors that pay a high proportion of their earnings as dividends include electric utilities and Real Estate Investments Trusts (REITs). Also, many large blue-chip companies pay dividends.

Historically companies that pay regular increasing dividends have been great long-term investments. Dividend yield (dividend divided by price ) can top 20 percent after many years when you buy-and-hold a dividend-paying stock that regularly increases its dividend.

You may elect to receive your dividends in cash or you can reinvest the dividends and buy additional shares of stock. Dividend reinvestment is an easy way to increase the number of shares you own and is a profitable investing technique for the long-term investor.

You can capture dividends by owning a portfolio of dividend-paying stocks and mutual funds that concentrate on dividend-paying stocks. Such stocks give you income and may give you growth in the form increased share prices with time.

Two mutual funds with above average dividend yields and low expenses are the Dow Jones Select Dividend Index Fund (DVY) and the Vanguard Equity Income Fund (VEIPX). Both funds hold stocks that pay safe dividends.

For a list of over 300 companies that have increased their dividends for at least 10 consecutive years read the Dividend Achievers. The Dividend Aristocrats have increased dividends for 25 consecutive years.

Most Popular Articles

Here are the ten most popular articles about dividends and dividend reinvesting:

50 Highest Yielding Dividend Achievers - Current Dividends and Dividend Yields
Canadian Royalty Trusts Pay High Dividends
Dividend Aristocrats Pay Increasing Dividends
Dividend-Paying Stocks
Dividend Reinvestment Portfolio
Electric Utilities Pay Steady Dividends
Introduction to Dividend Reinvestment
Mergent's Dividend Achievers Pay Increasing Dividends
Natural Gas Stocks Pays High Dividends
PowerShares Offers Four Dividend Achievers ETFs
Why Dividends Matter

All Articles (0-9, A through Z)

The following alphabetized list includes links to all buyupside.com articles about dividends and dividend reinvesting.

10 Dividend-Paying Dutch Stocks
10 Dividend-Paying German Stocks
20 All-Weather Dividend-Paying Stocks for a Long-term Portfolio
50 Highest Yielding Dividend Achievers - Current Dividends and Dividend Yields

Accumulate Shares With Dividend Reinvestment
Abbott Has a Long Record of Paying Increasing Dividends
Abbott Is a Great Dividend-Paying Stock
Abbott Laboratories, a Dividend Aristocrat, Is a Great Long-term Investment
Acadian Timber Income Fund Pays a Steady Monthly Distribution
Add High-Yield DJIA Stocks to Your Dividend Reinvestment Portfolio
Aflac, a Dividend Aristocrat, Delivers Great Long-term Returns
Aflac Rewards Shareholders With Price Appreciation and Rising Dividends
Airgas Raises Dividend 12.5 Percent
Air Products, a Dividend Aristocrat, Is a Great Dividend-Paying Stock
All Weather Stocks - Clorox Trades Above Its 10-Year Moving Average
All Weather Stocks - Ecolab Suits Growth and Income Investors
All Weather Stocks - Heinz Is Committed to Increasing Dividends
All Weather Stocks - Kimberly-Clark Is a Long-term Buy-and-Hold Stock
All Weather Stocks - NSTAR Belongs in a Utility Stock Portfolio
All Weather Stocks - Proctor & Gamble Belongs In a Long-term Stock Portfolio
Alpine Dynamic Dividend Fund Offers a Very High Dividend Yield
Alpine Dynamic Dividend Maintains High Dividend Yield
Alpine Global Dynamic Dividend Fund Seeks High Dividend Yield
American International Group Increases Dividend Despite Financial Woes
AmSouth Bank is a Dividend Play
Arrow Financial Pays Increasing Dividends
AT&T Pays a Rich Dividend
Avoid Closed-End Income Funds That Cut Dividends
Avoid Downside Stocks with Large Dividend Yields
Avon Products Pays an Increasing Dividend
Australian Bank Stocks Take Hits from Bad Debt - Dividend Yields Up
Australian Listed Properties Trusts Offer Diversified Real Estate Portfolios
Australian Stocks Offer High Dividend Yields

BancorpSouth Pays Increasing Dividends
Banco Santander Rewards Dividend-Oriented Investors
Banks Cutting Dividends - Beware of High yields
Banks Increase Dividends Despite Falling Stock Prices
Barclays Is Down But Not Out
Bear Market 2009: Four Companies Increase Dividends
Big Five United Kingdom Banks Pay Rich Dividends
BlackRock Diversified Income Strategies Fund Pays Steady Income
BlackRock Offers Four Dividend Achievers Funds
Bunge Raises Dividend Ten Percent
Buy Union Pacific on Price Dips
buyupside.com Dividend Chart Maker
buyupside.com Guide to High-Yield Investments

Cadbury Schweppes Rivals Coca-Cola and Pepsico
Canadian Stocks Offer High Dividend Yields
Canadian Royalty Trusts Pay High Dividends - Popular
Cardinal Health Pays Increasing Dividends
Cement Maker Lafarge Is On a Long-term Upside
Closed-End Dividend Stock Funds Offer Good Income At a Discount
Chemical Stocks Portfolio Pay Hefty Dividends
Clorox Continues to Increase Its Dividend
Clorox Pays Increasing Dividends
CNOOC Gives Investors Good Growth and Dividend Yield
Coca-Cola Is a Solid Dividend-Paying Stock
Coca-Cola Is a Winner
Coca-Cola Raises Its Annual Dividend For 47th Consecutive Year
Colgate-Palmolive Increases Dividend 10 Percent
Colgate-Palmolive Is One Great Stock
Colgate-Palmolive Rewards Patient Investors
Colgate-Palmolive Trades Above 10-Year Simple Moving Average
College Graduate Starter Portfolio Includes Dividend-Paying Stocks
ConAgra Foods Is a Dividend Play
Consider Bank of New York Mellon for a Dividend-Oriented Portfolio
Consider General Electric for a Dividend-Reinvestment Portfolio
Consumer Staples Stocks Pay Steady Dividends
C.R. Bard, a Dividend Aristocrat, Is a Great Long-term Investment
C. R. Bard Increases Dividend Six Percent
Cullen/Frost Bankers Increases Its Dividend
Cullen/Frost Bankers Is a Solid Dividend Reinvestment Stock
Current S&P Dividend Aristocrats Components

Despite Downturn Companies Still Raising Dividends
Diebold Keeps Increasing Its Dividend
Direct Stock Purchase Plans are Convenient But Watch the Fees
Diversified Utilities' Dividend Yields Up On Lower Stock Prices
Dividend Aristocrats - A Few Truly Great Stocks - Popular
Dividend Aristocrats Includes 52 Stocks
Dividend Aristocrats Pay Increasing Dividends - Popular
Dividend Aristocrats: Suffolk Bancorp - The Way a Bank Should be Run
Dividend Aristocrats - Top 10 by Dividend Yield
Dividend Aristocrats: Updated Dividends and Dividend Yields - Popular
Dividend Detective Includes Great Information About Dividend-Paying Stocks and Investments
Dividend Oriented Exchange-Traded Funds Offer Good Yields
Dividend-Paying Gas Utilities Can Enhance Your Portfolio
Dividend-Paying Gold Stocks
Dividend-Paying Japanese Drug Stocks
Dividend-Paying Stocks - Popular
Dividend Reinvestment: Do It - Popular
Dividend Paying Portfolio - Get Today's Dividend and Dividend Yield - Popular
Dividend Stocks for the Long Run: Colgate-Palmolive
Dividend Yields of Bank Stocks Are Up
Dividend Yields of Bank Stocks Move Up With Falling Stock Prices
Dividends Magnify Your Total Return - Popular
Dividends Will Reward the Patient Investor
DNP Select Income Fund Pays Steady High Dividends
Domestic Dividend-Paying ETFs Pay Steady Dividends
Do Not Be Tempted by Extra High Dividend Yields
Don't Give Up on Dividend-Paying Stocks
Don't Give Up on Dividend-Paying Stocks - Part II
Dover Corporation Has a Long History of Increasing Its Dividend
Dow Jones Select Dividend Index Fund
Dow Jones Utilities - Annual Dividends and Dividend Yields
Dow Jones Utility Average is a Conservative Play for Income and Growth
Duke Energy Pays Its Dividend

Earn Dividends From World-Wide ETF
Eight Electric and Natural Gas Utilities With High Dividend Yields
Electric Utilities Offer High Dividend Yields During Market Slump
Electric Utilities Pay Steady Dividends - Popular
Electric Utilities With Nuclear Power Plants Pay Steady Dividends
Emerson Electric Is a Winning Stock
Enbridge Energy LP Pays a Rich Dividend
Energy East is on the Upside
European Stocks Offer High Dividend Yields
Ex-Dividend.com Gives You the Latest Dividend News
ExxonMobil Raises Dividend Five Percent

Falling Prices Push Up Dividend Yields
Falling Stock Prices Benefit Long-term Dividend Reinvestment Portfolios
Financial Exchange-Traded Funds Offer Good Dividend Yields
Financial Exchange-Traded Funds Pay Good Yielding Income Distributions
Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund Pays a Good Dividend Yield
Find Dividend Yields for Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 Stocks at indexARb
Find Timely REIT Info at Real Estate Portfolio
First Financial Bankshares Pays Solid Dividends
First Horizon National Pays a Healthy Dividend
Five Bank Stocks Worth Watching
Five Great Dividend Reinvestment Stocks
Five High-Yield Stocks
Five Large Bank Stocks With Dividend Yields Over Six Percent
Five Large Canadian Dividend-Paying Bank Stocks
Five Large Pharmaceuticals Stocks With High Dividend Yields
Five Reliable Dividend-Paying Stocks for a Shaky Market
Follow iShares S&P U.S. Preferred Stock Index Fund With the buyupside.com Price Direction Indicator
Food and Beverage Stocks
Four Good Banks Pay Reliable Dividends
FPL Group Pays Increasing Dividends
French Stocks Offer High Dividend Yields
Gabelli Utility Trust is a Solid Income Investment
Gas Utilities' Dividend Yields Up On Falling Stock Prices
General Electric Keeps Increasing Dividends
General Electric Pays a Healthy Dividend
General Mills Pays a Solid Dividend
General Mills Raises Dividend 9.30 Percent
General Mills Trades Above 10-Year Simple Moving Average
General Motors Pays a Hefty Dividend
Genuine Parts Company Keeps Increasing Its Dividend
Get Good Dividend Yields From Five Select Sector SPDRs
Global Bank Stocks With High-Yield Dividends
Global Stocks Offer High Dividend Yields
Great Northern Iron Ore Properties Pays a Great Cash Distribution (Dividend), But Use Caution

H.B. Fuller Raises Dividend
Hershey Has a Long History of Raising Its Dividend
Health Care REITs Pay Hefty Dividends
High Dividend Yields May Signal Trouble Ahead
High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Offer Hefty Total Returns
High-Yield Exchange-Traded Funds Are Attractive Additions to an Income Portfolio
High-Yield (Over Five Percent) Electric Utility Stocks
High-Yield Blue Chip Stocks For Your Long-term Portfolio
High-Yield Sectors
Home Bancshares Pays a Steady Dividend

IBM Raises Dividend Ten Percent
IBM Increases Its Dividend by 33 Percent
Illinois Tool Works Keeps Increasing Its Dividend
Important Dates for Dividends
ING Groep Pays Increasing Dividends
International Dividend-Paying ETFs Pay Steady Dividends
Introduction to Dividend Reinvestment - Popular
iShares Dow Jones EPAC Select Dividend Index Fund Pays Strong Dividends
iShares S&P Value Index Fund Includes Dividend-Paying Stocks
Italian Stocks Offer High Dividend Yields

Japanese Stocks Offer Steady Dividends
J. M. Smucker Raises Dividend Over Nine Percent
Johnson & Johnson Is a Great Long-term Holding
Johnson & Johnson Keeps Raising Its Dividend

Kellogg's Is a Solid Dividend Reinvestment Stock
Kimberly Clark Increases Dividend to 60 Cents
Kraft Foods Increases Its Dividend

QuantumOnline.com Is a Find for Income Investors

Raytheon Increases Dividend
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Stocks Pay High Dividends
Regions Financial's Dividend Yield Exceeds 11 Percent
Regions Financial Is Down But Increased Its Dividend
Regional Banks Offer High Dividends
Republic Bancorp Raises Dividend Nine Percent

Savings and Loans Banks Astoria Financial and Washington Federal Are Good Bets
Sherman-Williams Is a Great Dividend-Paying Stock
Six Large High-Yield Closed-End Funds
Slumping Stock Prices Push Up Blue Chip Dividend Yields
Small Dividend Increases Add Up
Some Companies Increase Dividends Despite Market Meltdown
Southern Company Is a Great Dividend-Paying Stock
Southern Company Raises Dividend
Special Dividends Pack a Punch
SPDR Dividend ETF Includes High-Yield Stocks
SPDR S&P Dividend ETF's Dividend Yield Exceeds Four Percent
S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Includes 52 Stocks
S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Scorecard - Dividend Increases and Cuts
S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats: Updated Dividends and Dividend Yields - Popular
S&P 500 Utilities Pay Hefty Dividends - Popular
S&P Global Timber & Forestry ETF Includes Dividend-Paying Forest and Paper Products Stocks
Starter Portfolio
Stock Market Visualizations With Google Motion Charts: Dividend-Paying U.S. Champions Hold Their Own During Market Meltdown
Stock Market Visualizations With Google Motion Charts: Dividend Yields Fluctuate With Falling Prices and Dividend Cuts
Stora Enso and UPM-Kymmene Are Cyclical Dividend-Paying Stocks
streetTRACKS KBW Regional Bank ETF Pays a Stout Dividend
SunTrust Banks Maintains Quarterly Dividend
Swedish Stocks Offer High Dividend Yields
Swiss Stocks Offer High Dividend Yields

Target Pays Increasing Dividends
Target Raises Dividend 6.25 Percent
Terra Nitrogen Pays Hefty Dividends
Terra Nitrogen Pays Uneven Dividends
Ten Countries Offer Stocks With High Dividend Yields
The Moneypaper Lets You Buy Dividend-Paying Stocks
These Dividend Yields Will Amaze You - Popular
Timber REIT Rayonier Pays Steadily Increasing Dividends
Top 10 Global Wireless Growth Stocks Pay Dividends
Top 10 High Yield Dividend Aristocrats by Yield
Top 20 Dividend Aristocrats by Dividend Yield
Top Subscriber Global Wireless Stocks Pay Dividends
TransCanada Is an Upside Stock With Steady Dividends
Two ETFs That are Good Choices for a Dividend Reinvestment Portfolio

United Kingdom Stocks Offer High Dividend Yields
U.S. Bancorp Is a Great Dividend Play
U.S. Bancorp Pays Steady Dividends
U.S. Dividend Champions Offer Multiyear Dividend Increases
Utilities Exchange-Trade Funds (ETFs) Offer Moderate Dividend Yields
Utility Stocks Pay Reliable Dividends

Valero LP Pays a Rich Dividend
Vanguard Equity-Income Likes Dividends

Wal-Mart Continues Long History of Dividend Increases
Wal-Mart Pays Increasing Dividends
Washington Mutual Keeps Increasing Its Dividend
Waste Management Is a Dividend Play
Watch Xcel Energy As a Dividend-Reinvestment Stock
Water Utilities Pay Good Dividends
Wells Fargo Raises Dividend
What Is a Dividend?
Which Is Best - Dividend Yield or Dividend Growth?
Whirlpool Is a Cyclical Dividend Play
Whirlpool Is on the Downside But Has Support
Williams Companies Revives Its Dividend
WisdomTree Middle East Dividend Fund Begins Trading
WisdomTree Offers Twenty ETFs for Dividend Investors
Wrigley Boosts Dividend 16 Percent
Wrigley Is a Great Dividend-Paying Stock
Why Dividends Matter - Popular

Yahoo Finance Has a Comprehensive List of Dividend Yields for Stocks

More Information

The buyupside.com Dividend eBook is a free eBook that is a compilation of original articles written by Richard Howard of buyupside.com. The eBook is updated each time that I write a new article about dividends or dividend reinvestment.

For a quicker read, see buyupside.com Dividend miniBook, an abbreviated version of the buyupside.com Dividend eBook.

The buyupside.com Dividend Book (.pdf version) is approximately 50 pages of information about dividends and dividend reinvesting. The book is available on scribd.com for $2.00.

Read about high-yield investments in the buyupside.com Guide to High-Yield Investments.

Beginning investors should read buyupside.com Dividend Primer, a three-step approach to owning dividend-paying stocks.

Use the buyupside.com Dividend Chart Maker to display a bar chart of quarterly dividends for your favorite stocks.

See many dividend-paying portfolios at Daily Dividend-Paying Portfolio Updates On buyupside.com.

Updated July 5, 2009.