Should Dividend Investors Buy Realty Income Stock for the Payout?
Realty Income (NYSE: O), known by many as the "monthly dividend stock," has stood out due to its generous payout. It pays its shareholders $3.07 per share annually and recently passed its 121st payout hike since its listing in 1994.
Consequently, its dividend yield now stands at 5.2%. That is well over triple the S 500 average of 1.5% and compares favorably to some high-yield CDs. Still, its stock price has only increased marginally over the last five years, which might leave investors questioning whether it is worthwhile to own this stock.
As the name indicates, Realty Income is areal estate investment trust (REIT). This means it has to pay out at least 90% of its taxable income in the form of dividends. In exchange, it does not have to pay income taxes on those earnings. This gives some reassurance to dividend investors, as this is about as close as dividend stocks come to offering guaranteed income.
Source Fool.com
