Five High-Yield Dividend Stocks Worth Buying With Confidence Today

Finding Quality Income in Today’s Market

The average dividend yield across the S&P 500 sits at just 1.2%, leaving many income-focused investors searching for better alternatives. However, a select group of well-established companies currently provides yields exceeding 5%, offering both substantial current income and credible growth potential. These firms combine attractive payouts with solid financial footing, making them worthy of serious consideration for dividend portfolios.

Clearway Energy: Clean Power Meets Steady Dividends

Clearway Energy (NYSE: CWEN) currently yields approximately 5%. This renewable energy operator generates dependable cash flows through its wind, solar, and natural gas generating facilities. The company sells its electricity output via long-term contracts with utilities and corporate partners, ensuring revenue stability.

The firm targets a 70% payout ratio on free cash flow, reinvesting the remainder into portfolio expansion. Management projects cash available for distribution will reach at least $2.70 per share by 2027, up from the current $2.11—a trajectory that supports increasing the annualized dividend from $1.81 to $1.98 over the same period. Looking further ahead, Clearway anticipates pushing cash flow per share toward $3.00 by 2030, providing visibility into continued distribution growth. Existing projects give the company clear near-term expansion opportunities without hesitation from investors regarding future payouts.

Oneok: Midstream Stability Over 25+ Years

Oneok (NYSE: OKE) offers a 5.9% yield, backed by the pipeline company’s resilient fee-based revenue model. This diversified midstream operator has maintained exceptional dividend consistency over more than 25 years, nearly doubling its payout level across the past decade despite not increasing it annually.

The company plans 3-4% annual dividend increases going forward. Recent strategic acquisitions promise hundreds of millions in cost synergies, while organic expansion projects scheduled through mid-2028 should generate additional cash flow growth. These initiatives position Oneok to sustain its rising payout trajectory, giving stakeholders no hesitation in the reliability of future distributions.

NNN REIT: 36 Years of Uninterrupted Growth

NNN REIT (NYSE: NNN) delivers a 5.9% yield through its focus on triple-net lease retail properties. The REIT boasts one of the sector’s strongest dividend track records with 36 consecutive annual increases—the third-longest streak among all REITs.

Triple-net lease structures provide exceptional cash flow predictability since tenants assume all operating costs, maintenance, taxes, and insurance. NNN REIT conservatively distributes 70% of its stable cash flow as dividends, retaining capital for fresh acquisitions. The company maintains ongoing relationships with expanding retailers, frequently purchasing properties in sale-leaseback arrangements that simultaneously fund tenant growth and build future investment opportunities for the trust.

Verizon: Telecom Cash Generation at Scale

Verizon (NYSE: VZ) yields 6.7%, with the telecommunications giant recently extending its consecutive dividend increase streak to 19 years. The company’s massive recurring revenue base—customers paying wireless and broadband bills—produced $28 billion in operating cash flow during the first nine months of the current year.

After dedicating $12.3 billion to network maintenance and expansion, Verizon retained $15.8 billion in free cash flow, comfortably surpassing the $8.6 billion in dividend payments. The pending $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications will expand fiber capabilities and enable bundled wireless-broadband offerings, strengthening customer retention and margins. This operational momentum and acquisition-driven growth allow investors to approach the current high yield without hesitation regarding sustainability.

VICI Properties: Experiential Real Estate Inflation Protection

VICI Properties (NYSE: VICI) yields 6.2%, investing in gaming, hospitality, wellness, entertainment, and leisure properties leased under long-term NNN agreements. Most leases include inflation adjustments, generating steadily climbing rental income with minimal volatility.

The REIT distributes roughly 75% of rental income as dividends while deploying retained capital into acquisitions, third-party purchases, and developer financing. This strategy has produced a 6.6% compound annual dividend growth rate since 2018—substantially outpacing the 2.3% growth rate of peer REITs focused on NNN properties. A recent $1.2 billion transaction acquiring seven Golden Entertainment properties through sale-leaseback demonstrates the company’s acquisition momentum and supports further payout expansion.

Building Dividend Portfolios Without Concern

All five of these firms marry 5%+ yields with fortress-like financial foundations. Each possesses meaningful capacity to expand operations and reinvest earnings, fueling continued dividend increases. The combination of immediate income returns and demonstrable growth trajectories means investors can build positions in these stocks without hesitation right now.