How to Create a List of Dividend-Paying Stocks

People looking for a list of dividend-paying stocks often turn to stock experts or subscription services for suggestions. Both of those resources, however, charge fees for a service that you may provide for free on your own. Follow the steps below to create your own list of dividend-paying stocks.

Instructions

1. Use a filter to create a rough list of dividend-paying stocks. To create a filter, open the Google Finance site. Click on the Stock Screener link on the left of the screen, then simply adjust the slider labeled "Div Yield" to your desired dividend percentage. Then scroll down to see your preliminary list of dividend-paying stocks that meet your criteria.

2. Copy the entire list of stocks into a Word document, then skim the list, removing any stocks that do not interest you. For example, if you are opposed to investing in companies that operate copper mines, delete those companies from your Word document. In this way you may whittle your list down to a more manageable number of dividend paying stocks.

3. Examine the individual companies that remain on your list more closely to see which ones are the most likely to prosper and keep paying the highest dividends. For the final level of screening, click on the stock's ticker symbol in Google Finance. This will take you to a screen with information and news about that particular company. You should be able to get a good idea of where the company has been and where it is headed.

References

• Google Finance