What are dividend stocks?

Dividend stocks are shares of companies that regularly pay investors a portion of the company's earnings. Some pay dividends annually, semi-annually or quarterly, while others are monthly dividend stocks. The average dividend yield of some of the top dividend stocks is 12.69%.

What are the best dividend stocks to buy?

The best dividend stocks to buy are those that consistently grow the payout. It’s not a one-and-done situation. They raise their payout year after year, compounding and amplifying the effects. It’s like turbo boosting your portfolio’s growth engine. It is why investors love Dividend Aristocrats and Dividend Kings.

Which stocks have raised their dividends?

The last stock that hiked its dividend recently is the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEARCA: SCHD ), an exchange-traded fund ( ETF) that holds about 100 dividend-paying stocks and yields 3.6% annually. Its dividend was raised by a whopping 35%, from 61 cents per share to 82 cents per share. However, some caveats come with that.