After looking at a set of U.S. stock data compiled last year, I found that there are indeed quite a few high-dividend U.S. stocks in the market that are worth paying attention to. The average dividend yield of the S&P 500 is only 1.2%, but some companies can reach 5% or more, which is still attractive to investors who want stable cash flow.

A few I’m particularly interested in are Enbridge (ENB), Realty Income (O), and Verizon (VZ). Enbridge has increased its dividends for 22 consecutive years, and its current yield is around 6%. Realty Income focuses on commercial real estate trusts and has more than 12,000 properties under its umbrella, with its dividend yield also close to 6%. Verizon, as a telecom giant, although its stock price has fallen quite a bit in recent years, its dividend payouts have remained consistently stable.

The logic behind investing in high-dividend U.S. stocks is actually quite simple—choose mature companies with stable income and ample cash flow. My suggestion is to first pick 1–3 leading companies in the industries you’re interested in, and then check whether their dividend payout records have been stable over the past 5–10 years. If a company’s dividend yield looks especially high, you should also think about why—whether the company is facing difficulties or whether it’s truly undervalued.

From a macro perspective, the profit growth of U.S. stocks in 2025 is indeed faster than the year before, which typically supports dividend growth. Some institutions predict that in 2025 the dividends of the S&P 500 could increase by 7–12%. So if economic growth slows down next, high-dividend U.S. stocks could be a good defensive option. But don’t forget that high dividend payouts can also conceal risks—high debt and unstable earnings are all things you need to look into, so it’s important to do your homework before investing.