3 High-Yielding Dividend Stocks to Buy and Hold For the Long Haul

Forget chasing memes—these dividend giants actually pay you to own them.

Cash Flow Machines That Never Stop

While crypto bros pray for the next pump, dividend investors collect actual yield—quarter after predictable quarter. These aren't speculative bets; they're cash-generating monsters with proven track records of returning real money to shareholders.

Built to Outlast Market Chaos

These picks operate in essential sectors that thrive regardless of economic conditions. They've weathered recessions, inflation spikes, and multiple market cycles while steadily increasing payouts. Unlike flashy tech stocks, they don't need hype to deliver returns.

The Ultimate 'Set and Forget' Portfolio

With yields that crush traditional savings accounts and growth that outpaces inflation, these stocks represent the boring brilliance of getting rich slowly. Perfect for investors who prefer dividend deposits over watching charts all day.

Because sometimes the smartest move in finance is ignoring the circus and collecting checks instead.

Image source: Getty Images.

UnitedHealth Group

Health insurer UnitedHealth has been among the worst-performing stocks on the S&P 500 this year. It is down 39% as of Sept. 2, and the decline was even worse until investors learned that billionaire investor Warren Buffett bought shares of the company, which gave it a boost recently.

UnitedHealth has been battling with higher medical costs this year, and there is an ongoing Department of Justice investigation into its billing practices, which has spooked investors. The sell-off has pushed the stock price down to multi-year lows, and its dividend yield is now around 2.9%, which is higher than normal.

Despite the flurry of bad news this year, UnitedHealth's fundamentals aren't terribly bad. The company has generated $25.3 billion in free cash FLOW over the trailing 12 months, which is easily enough to cover its dividend payments, which have totaled $7.8 billion over that time frame.

Being a key player in the healthcare industry, UnitedHealth still looks to be a good buy for the long term. Although it may be facing adversity right now, it's by no means in a dire situation. Buying it on weakness today could set you up for some fantastic gains down the road, while also locking in a great yield.

Medtronic

Another healthcare stock that can make for a great dividend investment is Medtronic. It currently yields 3.1%, offering a bit of a higher payout than UnitedHealth. The medical device company, which has therapies and technologies that help treat 70 different health conditions, has been experiencing solid growth.

Its revenue ROSE by more than 8% in its most recent quarter (which ended July 25), totaling $8.6 billion. It boosted its guidance for the year, and it forecasts an organic growth rate of around 5% for its current fiscal year (it ends in April).

This is another strong, cash-generating business with free cash Flow over the past four quarters totaling $5.3 billion -- higher than the $3.6 billion it paid in dividends during that time. Shares of Medtronic are up 17% this year, and with a beta value of around 0.8, it's less volatile than the overall markets, making it an appealing stock to buy and hold for the long term.

Realty Income

The highest yield on this list belongs to Realty Income, which is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that yields 5.5% and provides investors with a payout every month, making it a rarity among dividend stocks that typically pay every quarter. It's also a remarkably consistent dividend payer; in August, it announced its 662nd consecutive monthly dividend.

REITs typically use funds from operations, or FFO, to measure their level of profitability and the safety of their dividend payments. In its most recent quarter, for the period ended June 30, Realty Income's FFO per share of $1.06 was nearly identical to the $1.07 it reported in the prior-year period. That's well above the rate of its dividend over the course of three months: $0.807.

Realty Income's diversified portfolio of assets includes clients from 91 different industries. With an occupancy rate regularly around 99%, it's one of the safest and most stable dividend stocks you can own. When you factor in its monthly payments and high yield, it effectively becomes a no-brainer buy for income-seeking investors.