5 High-Dividend Stocks Close to Closing Out the Year in the Green

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However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.How is this page expert verified?NerdWallet's content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure the information is as clear and complete as possible.Lead WriterSam Taube writes about investing for NerdWallet. He has covered investing and financial news since earning his economics degree from the University of Maryland in 2016. Sam has previously written for Investopedia, Benzinga, Seeking Alpha, Wealth Daily and Investment U, and has worked as an editor for Investment U, Wealth Daily and Haven Investment Letter. He is based in Brooklyn, New York. Managing EditorChris Davis is a Managing Editor on the Investing team. As a writer, he covered the stock market, investing strategies and investment accounts, and as a spokesperson, he appeared on NBC Bay Area and was quoted in Forbes, Apartment Therapy, Martha Stewart and Lifewire, among others. His work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, MSN, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, Newsday and TheStreet. If you’re shopping for dividend stocks, it can be tempting to invest in the companies that pay the highest yields, but a high dividend yield isn’t always a good thing.A stock’s dividend yield is equal to its dividends per share over the last year, divided by its market price. So a high yield could mean that a stock is paying out a generous dividend, but it could also mean that its price has fallen a lot recently due to hardship. And if a dividend-paying company is really struggling — if it’s repeatedly coming up short of revenue expectations, racking up debt, or struggling to turn a profit — it may have to cut its dividend. (Learn more about investing in dividend stocks here.)One way to avoid this problem is to screen for high-yield dividend stocks with low payout ratios (dividends per share divided by earnings per share, a measure of dividend sustainability) and strong year-to-date returns.Below is a list of the 5 highest-yielding stocks in the S&P 500 or Russell 2000 indexes that have positive year-to-date returns and payout ratios below 100%, ordered by yield.Company name & symbolDividend yieldYTD returnsAG Mortgage Investment Trust Inc (MITT)10.05%23.91%Marketwise Inc (MKTW)9.12%56.36%International Seaways Inc (INSW)7.94%44.27%Altria Group Inc (MO)7.15%11.26%Buckle, Inc (BKE)6.93%18.22%Source: Finviz. Data is current as of market close Dec. 9, 2025, and is intended for informational purposes only.» Want to get started? See our list of the best brokers for dividend investing. AG Mortgage Investment Trust is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that invests in residential mortgages. It has paid dividends for several years, although it has occasionally cut its payout.Marketwise is a publisher of subscription-based investment newsletters. It has paid dividends since 2023.International Seaways operates a fleet of shipping vessels, largely in the petroleum transportation space. It has booked multiple years of quarterly dividend payments, although the dividend amount has bobbed up and down over time.Altria Group is one of the world’s largest producers of tobacco products. It is a dividend aristocrat — a group of S&P 500 stocks that have increased their dividend payouts every year for at least 25 years.Buckle is a fashion retailer that operates more than 400 clothing stores across the U.S. It has paid substantial dividends for multiple years, although it hasn’t consistently grown its payout.The top high-yield monthly dividend stocksTop 7 high-dividend ETFsBest brokers for ETFsNeither the author nor editor owned positions in the aforementioned investments at the time of publication.Helpful resourcesDownload the app Disclaimer: NerdWallet strives to keep its information accurate and up to date. This information may be different than what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider or specific product's site. All financial products, shopping products and services are presented without warranty. When evaluating offers, please review the financial institution's Terms and Conditions. Pre-qualified offers are not binding. 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