Top Dividend Stocks

Buys the best dividend payers by our dividend score. Five traits earn up to 3 points each: dividend yield (from 1.5, 2.5, or 3.5 percent), the share of profit paid out (at most 75, 60, or 40 percent), years without a cut (from 5, 10, or 20), consecutive years of increases (from 3, 5, or 10), and annual dividend growth over the past five years (from 4, 8, or 12 percent). A stock makes the selection with at least 12 of the 15 possible points, calculated from the actual payout history. Only shares our own deep-dive analysis rates green are bought — yellow or no analysis at all is not enough. New positions are added once a month; a stock is sold as soon as the score drops below 12 or the share is no longer rated green. If the list holds no green-rated share, the portfolio stays in cash.

This portfolio buys shares.