What are your Favourite Dividend Paying Stocks and Why ?

[Sphinx]

Like most retired people, I am looking for a good, but safe return on my investments.  I cannot take many risks.  I like large North American blue chip stocks that pay good dividends.  One of my favourites is TD Bank. What do you like, and why ?  Thanks for your comments.

[warfreak2]

Like most retired people, I am looking for a good, but safe return on my investments.  I cannot take many risks.

So don't invest in individual stocks.

Put your money in broad-market index funds, with a stocks/bonds ratio appropriate for your age and risk tolerance.

[Red Beard]

I'll play. Two of my personal favorites:

BP - Current yield 4.5%.  While not technically North American, the spill forced them to sell non-core assets and trim costs. With that coming close to being resolved, not only should the dividend be "safe" but profits could increase causing the stock to appreciate.

MSFT - Current yield 2.8%. An old name with a new direction and 77 billion in the bank. Another company where the dividend should continue to grow and the stock has a chance at going higher as well.

[Joel]

Vanguard Total stock market index fund, total international stock market fund, and total bond market fund. That's it.

[mc6]

I have stock in Dominion Power, for its dividends.  I like that they have a direct-buy sort of program. 

[chasesfish]

Genuine Parts Company (GPC) - (most commonly known for NAPA auto parts) - Very little debt, 50+ year history of raising dividends, and the replacement parts business is something I don't think will ever go away.

[Suzaloo]

Hi, I'm a strictly dividend investor in Canada. I hold positions in RY, COS, CPG, BMO,ALA, IPL,TOG, SGY, BCE (widows n orphan stock), LRE, and for REITS, I hold D.UN and HR.UN  All these stocks are listed on the TSX as well as your TD.

[Iconoclast]

Because of the tax on dividends in the U.S., I tend to stick more to European dividend stock such as Delta Lloyd, Axa bank, Zurich insurance, Bolsas y mercados espaņoles, GFD Suez and ED Portugal. (Edited to correct the name of BME)

[spoonman]

I have a whole portfolio of dividend paying companies, so it's difficult to pick a favorite.  You can't go wrong with names like Coka Cola, Procter and Gamble, Wells Fargo, Chevron, Verizon, Johnson and Johnson, And Realty Income (to name a few).  I personally prefer a basket of 40 or so dividend paying companies than investing in ETFs because I have greater control over the income itself.  Don't get me wrong, dividend ETFs great, but they simply do not currently align with my investing goals.

[Sphinx]

Thanks for the good list.  I do mean what are your favourite dividend paying stocks, not just one favourite.  I did not mean to limit people to one stock.  I like picking individual stocks too.  I also own Transcanada Pipelines, Huskey, Fortis, and want to buy some Bell Canada, but would like to get it a bit less expensive than the current price. I will add some American stocks to my RRSP when our Canadian dollar is closer to par with the American dollar.  I have been warned that Canadians can easily hold American stocks in an RRSP, but face extra taxes if they put them in a TFSA.  I really like Johnson and Johnson, Coka Cola, and Proctor and Gamble too. 

[wtjbatman]

Much like spoonman said, there are a few that you really can't go wrong with such as Chevron, General Electric, Kinder Morgan, Realty Income, and Phillip Morris (to name a few that I own). There are many more stable blue chips, and even more dividend growth stocks with a less established history.

If you are interested in learning about individual dividend paying stocks, I recommend reading Seeking Alpha. They are a fantastic source of news and information on individual stocks in general, and have a very popular section devoted to dividend stocks.

For one of the most definitive lists of dividend paying stocks out there, check out David Fish's Dividend CCC spreadsheet. It is a list of Dividend paying stocks with consecutive dividend increases over the last 25+ years (Champions), 10+ years (Contenders), and 5+ years (Challengers).

[Sphinx]

Much like spoonman said, there are a few that you really can't go wrong with such as Chevron, General Electric, Kinder Morgan, Realty Income, and Phillip Morris (to name a few that I own). There are many more stable blue chips, and even more dividend growth stocks with a less established history.

If you are interested in learning about individual dividend paying stocks, I recommend reading Seeking Alpha. They are a fantastic source of news and information on individual stocks in general, and have a very popular section devoted to dividend stocks.

For one of the most definitive lists of dividend paying stocks out there, check out David Fish's Dividend CCC spreadsheet. It is a list of Dividend paying stocks with consecutive dividend increases over the last 25+ years (Champions), 10+ years (Contenders), and 5+ years (Challengers).

You are right !  Lots of really interesting information on the sites you listed.  I will be spending quite a bit of time reading there, and I did not know about them.  Thanks very much.

[TrulyStashin]

OMI (Owens & Minor).  Dividend 2.9%.   In 2012, they paid cash for a European company that distributes medical equipment (their core business here in the US).   Their market cap is just over $2B so they're barely a mid-cap stock -- big enough to be a stable and solid choice -- and have plenty of room for growth in the coming decades. 

http://www.fool.com/quote/nyse/owens-minor-inc/omi

[Roland of Gilead]

I like stocks that have a metric crap ton of cash and low payout ratio, plus solid earnings.

Apple, Microsoft, Cisco, Corning are a few of my favorites.  The dividends are not sky high, but they are IMO some of the safest dividends on the market.