Yield is the dividend divided by the price, so it rises for two opposite reasons: the company paid more, or the stock fell. It also counts whatever was paid in the last twelve months, including a one-time special that won't repeat. That's why 8 of the 25 highest yielders carry at least one flag. Compare the two yield columns: when the forward number sits well below the trailing one, the next twelve months of regular checks won't reproduce the headline. The full ranking, flags included, is below.
The highest yielders with no flag and a regular dividend that's higher than five years ago: VICI (7.54%, growing +6.9%/yr), UPS (6.92%, growing +10.0%/yr), GIS (6.84%, growing +3.6%/yr), EIX (6.29%, growing +5.8%/yr), MO (6.25%, growing +4.3%/yr). That's a filter, not a recommendation. Run any of them through the dividend yield calculator or the goal calculator, and see the dividend aristocrats for the longest-running raisers.
Of the 503 stock lines in the S&P 500 (per SPY's holdings, September 18, 2026), 421 pay a dividend and 82 don't. The median payer yields 1.76%. 100 yield 3% or more, 55 yield 4% or more, and only 23 yield 5% or more. The table below is the top 60 by trailing yield, with every warning sign our records can see printed right next to the number.
| # | Ticker | Company | Yield (12 mo) | Forward | 5-Yr Growth | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VICI | Vici Properties | 7.54% | 7.67% | +6.9%/yr | none |
| 2 | HST | Host Hotels & Resorts | 7.50% | 3.59% | +14.9%/yr | special payout in yield |
| 3 | UPS | United Parcel Service Class B | 6.92% | 6.92% | +10.0%/yr | none |
| 4 | GIS | General Mills | 6.84% | 6.84% | +3.6%/yr | none |
| 5 | KHC | Kraft Heinz Co/the | 6.57% | 6.57% | +0.0%/yr | none |
| 6 | PGR | Progressive | 6.53% | 0.19% | +0.0%/yr | special payout in yield |
| 7 | ARE | Alexandria Real Estate Equit | 6.46% | 5.34% | -8.5%/yr | regular dividend cut in past year |
| 8 | EIX | Edison International | 6.29% | 6.38% | +5.8%/yr | none |
| 9 | MO | Altria Group | 6.25% | 6.47% | +4.3%/yr | none |
| 10 | PFE | Pfizer | 6.19% | 6.19% | +2.0%/yr | none |
| 11 | AMCR | Amcor | 6.16% | 6.16% | +2.0%/yr | none |
| 12 | DOC | Healthpeak Properties | 5.94% | 5.94% | +0.4%/yr | none |
| 13 | VZ | Verizon Communications | 5.84% | 5.91% | +2.4%/yr | none |
| 14 | CLX | Clorox Company | 5.82% | 5.86% | +1.5%/yr | none |
| 15 | CCI | Crown Castle | 5.81% | 5.81% | -4.4%/yr | 5-yr rate shrinking |
| 16 | O | Realty Income | 5.72% | 5.73% | +3.5%/yr | none |
| 17 | LYB | Lyondellbasell Indu Class A | 5.69% | 4.57% | -9.4%/yr | regular dividend cut in past year |
| 18 | HRL | Hormel Foods | 5.68% | 5.69% | +3.6%/yr | none |
| 19 | CMCSA | Comcast Corp Class A | 5.65% | 5.74% | +7.1%/yr | none |
| 20 | KMB | Kimberly Clark | 5.22% | 5.24% | +2.3%/yr | none |
| 21 | IP | International Paper | 5.22% | 5.22% | -1.0%/yr | 5-yr rate shrinking |
| 22 | MAA | Mid America Apartment Comm | 5.14% | 5.15% | +8.3%/yr | none |
| 23 | UDR | Udr | 5.13% | 5.16% | +3.7%/yr | payment record: needs a look |
| 24 | TROW | T Rowe Price Group | 4.95% | 4.98% | +3.8%/yr | none |
| 25 | DOW | Dow | 4.94% | 4.94% | -12.9%/yr | 5-yr rate shrinking |
| 26 | FIS | Fidelity National Info Serv | 4.86% | 4.97% | +2.4%/yr | none |
| 27 | AES | Aes | 4.75% | 4.75% | +3.1%/yr | none |
| 28 | KVUE | Kenvue | 4.71% | 4.75% | — | none |
| 29 | EXR | Extra Space Storage | 4.71% | 4.71% | +5.3%/yr | none |
| 30 | KIM | Kimco Realty | 4.71% | 4.98% | +10.5%/yr | none |
| 31 | PRU | Prudential Financial | 4.68% | 4.72% | +4.0%/yr | none |
| 32 | ES | Eversource Energy | 4.62% | 4.72% | +5.5%/yr | none |
| 33 | OKE | Oneok | 4.61% | 4.65% | +2.7%/yr | none |
| 34 | F | Ford Motor | 4.55% | 4.55% | +8.4%/yr | payment record: needs a look |
| 35 | VMRK | Vivmark Residential | 4.55% | 4.58% | +3.1%/yr | none |
| 36 | NKE | Nike Inc Class B | 4.52% | 4.52% | +8.3%/yr | none |
| 37 | PEP | Pepsico | 4.47% | 4.56% | +6.6%/yr | none |
| 38 | INVH | Invitation Homes | 4.39% | 4.42% | +12.0%/yr | none |
| 39 | T | At+t | 4.37% | 4.37% | -11.8%/yr | 5-yr rate shrinking |
| 40 | BXP | Bxp | 4.36% | 4.36% | -6.5%/yr | regular dividend cut in past year |
| 41 | SPG | Simon Property Group | 4.34% | 4.39% | +8.4%/yr | none |
| 42 | CPT | Camden Property Trust | 4.27% | 4.29% | +5.0%/yr | none |
| 43 | D | Dominion Energy | 4.24% | 4.24% | +1.2%/yr | none |
| 44 | TFC | Truist Financial | 4.23% | 4.23% | +1.6%/yr | none |
| 45 | OMC | Omnicom Group | 4.21% | 4.21% | +2.7%/yr | none |
| 46 | BX | Blackstone | 4.14% | 4.08% | +9.5%/yr | none |
| 47 | REG | Regency Centers | 4.14% | 4.14% | +4.9%/yr | none |
| 48 | CME | Cme Group | 4.11% | 1.89% | +7.6%/yr | special payout in yield |
| 49 | BBY | Best Buy | 4.11% | 4.12% | +6.5%/yr | none |
| 50 | FRT | Federal Realty Invs Trust | 4.09% | 4.09% | +1.1%/yr | none |
| 51 | ARES | Ares Management Corp A | 4.08% | 4.26% | +23.5%/yr | none |
| 52 | FE | Firstenergy | 4.04% | 4.13% | +3.6%/yr | none |
| 53 | PSA | Public Storage | 4.03% | 4.03% | +8.4%/yr | none |
| 54 | BMY | Bristol Myers Squibb | 4.00% | 4.02% | +5.2%/yr | none |
| 55 | AMT | American Tower | 4.00% | 4.10% | +7.1%/yr | none |
| 56 | WY | Weyerhaeuser | 3.97% | 3.97% | -3.4%/yr | 5-yr rate shrinking |
| 57 | EXC | Exelon | 3.96% | 4.01% | +9.0%/yr | none |
| 58 | PAYX | Paychex | 3.96% | 4.15% | +12.5%/yr | none |
| 59 | KEY | Keycorp | 3.93% | 3.93% | +2.1%/yr | none |
| 60 | TSN | Tyson Foods Inc Class A | 3.91% | 3.91% | +2.8%/yr | none |
Yield (12 mo) = dividends with ex-dates in the last 12 months ÷ today's price. Forward = latest regular check × payments per year ÷ price. Flags: a special (one-time) dividend counted in the 12-month yield; a regular dividend cut within the past year (ARE, BAX, BXP, LYB, each confirmed against the company's own announcement); a regular rate lower than five years ago; or a payment record our health check marks for a look. Click a header to sort.
What counts as a high dividend stock?
There's no official cutoff. A useful reference is the S&P 500 itself: the median dividend payer yields 1.76%, and only 55 of its 421 payers yield 4% or more as of September 21, 2026.
What is the highest dividend stock in the S&P 500?
By trailing 12-month yield on September 21, 2026: VICI at 7.54%, then HST at 7.50% and UPS at 6.92%. Check the flags before reading anything into the rank; one-time specials and recent price drops push stocks up this list.
Are high dividend stocks a trap?
Some are. A high yield can come from a falling share price, a special dividend that won't repeat, or a dividend that was just cut and hasn't fully shown up in the 12-month figure. The Flags column marks each of those where the payment record shows it.
What's the difference between trailing and forward yield?
Trailing yield uses the dividends actually paid over the last 12 months. Forward yield takes the latest regular check and assumes it repeats for a year. When a company raises, forward runs higher; when it cuts or paid a special, trailing runs higher.
Is this list investment advice?
No. It's a ranking by a published formula with the record's warning signs attached. What suits you depends on your own situation.
Data: payment records and prices via Yahoo Finance, computed by Snowball Dividends on September 21, 2026. Educational only — not investment advice, and not a recommendation to buy or sell anything.