Should I buy stocks of my current employer because of its high dividend yield?

Asked by: Oren Zablocki

Is it good if a dividend yield is high?

A high dividend yield, however, may not always be a good sign, since the company is returning so much of its profits to investors (rather than growing the company.) The dividend yield, in conjunction with total return, can be a top factor as dividends are often counted on to improve the total return of an investment.

Is it better to invest in companies that pay dividends?

Dividend-paying stocks, on average, tend to be less volatile than non-dividend-paying stocks. And a dividend stream, especially when reinvested to take advantage of the power of compounding, can help build tremendous wealth over time.

What does it mean when a company has a high dividend yield?

A company with a high dividend yield pays a substantial share of its profits in the form of dividends. Dividend yield of a company is always compared with the average of the industry to which the company belongs.

Do investors prefer high or low dividend payouts?

The dividend clientele effect states that high-tax bracket investors (like individuals) prefer low dividend payouts and low tax bracket investors (like corporations and pension funds) prefer high dividend payouts.

What is the downside to dividend stocks?

While the disadvantages of cash dividends are:

Tax inefficiency. Investment risk. Sector concentration. Dividend policy changes.

What is more important dividend or yield?

The importance is relative and specific to each investor. If you only care about identifying which stocks have performed better over a period of time, the total return is more important than the dividend yield. If you are relying on your investments to provide consistent income, the dividend yield is more important.

Should I reinvest dividends?

As long as a company continues to thrive and your portfolio is well balanced, reinvesting dividends will benefit you more than taking the cash will. But when a company is struggling or when your portfolio becomes unbalanced, taking the cash and investing the money elsewhere may make more sense.

Should I invest in dividend or growth stocks?

If you are looking to create wealth and have a longer time horizon, staying invested in growth will enable you to enjoy longer returns. But if you are looking for a more immediate return and steady cash flow, dividend investing could be the best choice for you.