The Smartest Dividend Stocks to Buy With $5,000 Right Now

Dividend stocks are the gift that keeps giving -- and as we approach the end of the year and the Christmas season, this is an ideal time to look for dividend stocks you can count on for solid returns and a consistent payout.Dividend stocks are appealing because they're good for any investor. If you're in retirement and seeking a stable income, the best dividend stocks offer a reliable payout schedule, providing extra spending money so you don't have to dip as deeply into your retirement accounts. And if you're still years from retirement, you can either reinvest those dividends into your stocks to make your holdings grow faster, or you can put the money into a different stock altogether.But here's the overlooked thing about dividend stocks -- to provide a good dividend, a company has to be stable, with strong earnings, and able to withstand giving that money to shareholders. Many growth stocks cannot pay dividends because they're still ramping up operations, scaling their business, or aren't profitable. But if you have a company with a long history of dividends (and dividend growth), then that indicates that management is skilled at managing cash and mitigating risk, and is focused on long-term profitability.Continue readingWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei MotleyFool Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei MotleyFool