Could Buying Altria Stock Today Set You Up for Life?

Altria (NYSE: MO) is a consumer staples giant with a growing dividend and a huge 7.4% dividend yield. That looks like a big opportunity for income investors, given that the S&P 500 is only yielding 1.2% and the average consumer staples stock just 2.5%.But before you rush in to buy Altria, you need to know a few things.A 7.5% dividend yield is large, and it wouldn't be shocking for an income-focused investor to think it could set them up for life. That's particularly true since the dividend has been steadily increasing, growing at around 4% a year over the past five years. That's a touch higher than the average growth of inflation over time (which is closer to 3%, despite the recent uptick). So, from a big-picture perspective, Altria appears to offer a large up-front income stream that also grows its buying power over time.Continue readingWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei MotleyFool Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei MotleyFool