One effective strategy for safeguarding your investment portfolio is to consider high-yield stocks. These not only generate passive income, but they also provide a buffer during turbulent market conditions—something we’re witnessing right now. Take, for example, the Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM).
This ETF has outperformed the S&P 500 so far this year. In fact, while the S&P 500 has seen a decline of 3%, VYM has managed a year-to-date return of 3%. It’s a solid choice for those interested in dividend growth.
The VYM ETF, with an expense ratio of just 0.04%, tracks the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index and currently includes 562 stocks like Broadcom, JPMorgan, ExxonMobil, Walmart, and Johnson & Johnson. It offers a yield of 2.29% and pays dividends quarterly. For instance, it issued a dividend of a little over 94 cents on September 23, and previously, it paid around 84 cents on that date last year and 86 cents a share in late June.
If you’re not particularly keen on ETFs, here are three high-dividend stocks worth considering right now.
Realty Income
Realty Income (NYSE: O), often referred to as the “monthly dividend company,” boasts a yield of about 5%. Recently, it raised its monthly cash dividend from $0.270 to $0.2705 per share. This will be distributed to shareholders on April 15, 2026, who are recorded as of March 31, 2026. The new monthly dividend translates to an annualized figure of $3.246 per share, slightly up from the previous $3.240.
Realty Income stands out additionally because it’s among the largest lease real estate investment trusts (REITs) available. It owns over 15,600 properties, mainly in the retail sector, with major tenants like 7-Eleven, Dollar General, Walgreens, and others. As President and CEO Sumit Roy mentioned in a recent earnings release, they’ve made significant investments, with plans that continue to exceed their initial expectations. They project an annual growth rate of about 4.5%.
EPR Properties
Then there’s EPR Properties (NYSE: EPR), which yields 6.37% and focuses on entertainment venues like amusement parks and movie theaters. The company plans to distribute a dividend of $0.295 on March 16, 2026, for shareholders listed by February 27, 2026. This reflects their annualized dividend.
The earnings also reflect strong performance. Their funds from operations (FFO) for the fourth quarter hit $1.30, aligning with expectations. They reported sales of $182.95 million—up 3.2% from the previous year—exceeding estimates by more than $1 million. Looking ahead, they’ve given guidance for 2026 FFO of $5.28 to $5.48 per share, with the midpoint exceeding analysts’ predictions.
Interestingly, RBC Capital recently raised their price target for EPR to $59 per share. They believe EPR Properties can invest capital effectively and highlight that this REIT has provided dividends consistently for 30 years.
Verizon
Verizon (NYSE:VZ) rounds out this list with a yield of approximately 5.6%. The company recently announced a dividend increase to $0.7075, up 2.5% from the last one at $0.69, which will be paid on May 1st to shareholders recorded by April 10th.
In terms of earnings, things are looking good. The fourth-quarter EPS came in at $1.09, a modest increase, and sales reached $36.4 billion, also rising by 2.4%. They even added 616,000 net postpaid phone lines—an increase of 22%, surpassing expectations of around 420,491. Looking into 2026, Verizon anticipates net additions in the range of 750,000 to 1 million, with adjusted EPS projected at $4.90 to $4.95.
Another positive signal came from analysts at Raymond James, who raised their price target for Verizon from $50 to $56, maintaining an outperform rating. Similarly, Scotiabank upgraded their target from $50.25 to $54.50, citing potential cost savings.
