The big draw for investors with Altria (NYSE: MO) today is the stock's huge 9.4% dividend yield. But a big yield sometimes signals big risks, which is the case for this consumer staples stock today. And why most dividend-focused investors will be better off owning a far more boring company like Realty Income (NYSE: O) despite its lower 5.3% dividend yield.

Here's what you need to know.

Although Altria can boast that it has increased its dividend annually for years on end, income-focused investors need to look past a company's dividend streak when making an investment decision. When you do that here, there's one big trend that stands out: cigarette volumes. In the third quarter of 2023, volume in the company's most important business fell 11.6% year over year.

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Source Fool.com