Dividend Investing Blog
Plain-English guides to building and protecting dividend income.
Dividend market by the numbers
Data as of · Source: SmarterDividends data
- As of Oct 30, 2026, SmarterDividends tracks 2,949 U.S.-listed stocks, ETFs and funds that pay a dividend.
- As of Oct 30, 2026, the median forward dividend yield among U.S.-listed dividend-paying stocks with a market value of at least $500 million is 2.56%.
- As of Oct 30, 2026, 106 U.S.-listed stocks in SmarterDividends' data have raised their dividend for 25 or more consecutive years.
- In the 30 days to Oct 30, 2026, 131 U.S.-listed companies raised their regular dividend and 2 cut it, by ex-dividend date. That is 65.5 increases for every cut.
- In the seven days from Oct 30, 2026, 238 U.S.-listed dividend payers tracked by SmarterDividends have an ex-dividend date.
Cite this page
SmarterDividends, "Dividend Investing Blog," updated Oct 30, 2026, https://smarterdividends.com/blog
What Is an MCP Server? A Guide for Dividend Investors
MCP lets AI assistants like Claude and ChatGPT look up live data instead of answering from memory. What it is, how it works and the best one for dividends.
25 Dividend Questions to Ask Claude or ChatGPT (With Live Data From an MCP Server)
Prompts that get Claude, ChatGPT and other AI assistants to answer dividend questions from live data, using the free SmarterDividends MCP server.
What Is a Good Payout Ratio? Ranges by Sector, and When 100%+ Is Fine
How to calculate the dividend payout ratio, what a good one looks like in each sector, and why REITs and pipelines are judged on different measures.
What Happens When a Company Cuts Its Dividend? (And What to Do)
A dividend cut lowers your income and usually the share price. What happens to price, income and taxes, and how to decide whether to sell or hold.
Monthly vs Quarterly Dividends: Does Payment Frequency Matter?
Most U.S. stocks pay dividends quarterly and some pay monthly. What payment frequency changes, what it doesn't, and how to get paid every month.
How to Build a Dividend Portfolio: A 7-Step Plan for Reliable Income
Seven steps to a dividend portfolio: set an income goal, pick yield or growth, screen for safe dividends, diversify, decide on reinvesting and watch for cuts.
Dividend Cut Warning Signs: 9 Red Flags to Check Before It Happens
Most dividend cuts are visible months ahead. Nine warning signs, from a payout above 100% to rising debt and an unusually high yield, flag a dividend at risk.
How to Value a Dividend Stock (3 Methods That Actually Work)
How to estimate what a dividend stock is worth with discounted cash flow, the dividend-discount model and Graham's formula, and how to spot an undervalued one.
How Much Money Do You Need to Live Off Dividends?
How much you need invested to live off dividends, by income target and yield, and how to get there without taking on dangerous risk.
What Is the Ex-Dividend Date? (And How It Actually Works)
The ex-dividend date is the cut-off for owning a stock in time for its next dividend. How it differs from the record and pay dates, and why the price drops.
Qualified vs Ordinary Dividends: What's the Difference?
Qualified vs ordinary dividends: qualified ones are taxed at 0–20% capital-gains rates, ordinary ones at your income rate. How to tell them apart and pay less.
How Are Dividends Taxed? (2026 Dividend Tax Rates Explained)
How are dividends taxed? Qualified dividends at 0%, 15% or 20%, ordinary dividends at your income rate. The 2026 dividend tax rates and how to pay less.
How to Build a Portfolio of Dividend Stocks for Passive Income
A step-by-step guide to passive income from dividend stocks: how much you need, how to pick holdings, and how to grow your income every year.
What Is a DRIP? Dividend Reinvestment Plans Explained
A DRIP automatically reinvests your dividends into more shares. How dividend reinvestment plans work, why they compound your income, and the tax catch.
Dividend Aristocrats vs Dividend Kings: What's the Difference?
Dividend Aristocrats have raised dividends for 25+ years; Dividend Kings for 50+. What each label means, how they overlap, and which belongs in your portfolio.
What Is a Good Dividend Yield? (And When High Yield Is a Trap)
A good dividend yield is usually 2.5%–4.5% for quality stocks. How to judge a yield, why very high yields are often a warning sign, and what to check instead.
How Much Do You Need to Invest to Make $1,000 a Month in Dividends?
To earn $1,000/month in dividends you need about $300,000 at a 4% yield. The exact math, how yield changes the number, and how to get there faster.