The Market Is Down 5% in 2026. Here's the Best Dividend Stock to Buy With $10,000 Right Now.

By Selena Maranjian – Mar 27, 2026 at 7:32PM ESTKey PointsThis exchange-traded fund will quickly plunk you into about 100 solid dividend payers.It has delivered impressive results over the past decade.It can perform rather well during market downturns, too, via its dividend payments.The stock market, as measured by the S&P 500 index of 500 of America's biggest companies, is down 5.4% so far this year, as of March 24. When the S&P 500 is down, it means that more than a few companies' stocks are also down. And with dividend-paying stocks, a lower stock price means a boosted dividend yield. Image source: Getty Images. So, which dividend payer might you consider for your long-term portfolio, whether you have $10,000 or $100 or $100,000 to invest? Well, I suggest buying a bunch of solid dividend payers via a single exchange-traded fund (ETF): the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD 0.59%). (Remember that an ETF is a fund that trades like a stock.) ExpandNYSEMKT: SCHDSchwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETFToday's Change(-0.59%) $-0.18Current Price$30.44Key Data PointsDay's Range$30.37 - $30.6852wk Range$23.87 - $31.95Volume23M Why the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF? Well, because it offers the best of two worlds -- price appreciation and dividend income. The S&P 500 recently sported a dividend yield of merely 1.1%. But the Schwab ETF's yield was recently 3.3% -- 3 times bigger! Check out its performance, too: Period Average Annual Gain Past 3 years 12.90% Past 5 years 8.92% Past 10 years 12.36% Data source: Morningstar.com, as of March 24, 2026. The ETF tracks an index of healthy dividend payers, holding around 100 of them. Here are the recent top 10 holdings: Stock Weight in ETF Recent Yield 1. Chevron 4.58% 5.31% 2. ConocoPhillips 4.20% 2.60% 3. Verizon Communications 4.10% 5.56% 4. Merck 3.99% 2.92% 5. Texas Instruments 3.96% 2.92% 6. Coca-Cola 3.94% 2.76% 7. UnitedHealth Group 3.84% 3.25% 8. Abbott Laboratories 3.79% 2.42% 9. PepsiCo 3.79% 3.78% 10. Amgen 3.79% 2.89% Data source: Yahoo! Finance and Morningstar.com, as of March 25, 2026. This single investment will quickly have you indirectly holding shares in about 100 solid dividend payers that are likely to grow over time while delivering plenty of passive income that should also grow over time. Should the stock market stall or slump, most of the fund's components will likely keep paying out their dividends, too, making this a sturdy holding in troublesome times. Overall, it's a tough proposition to beat.Read NextMar 27, 2026 •By Matt DiLalloWhy I Can't Stop Buying This Popular ETF Even Though It's Up More Than 10% Already in 2026.Mar 25, 2026 •By David DierkingSCHD Annual Reconstitution: Here's What This Dividend ETF Looks Like NowMar 25, 2026 •By Dave KovaleskiIs the Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF a Buy Now?Mar 24, 2026 •By David Dierking3 Dividend ETFs That Could Replace Bond Income in 2026Mar 23, 2026 •By Stefon WaltersWant Decades of Passive Income? Buy This ETF and Hold It Forever.Mar 23, 2026 •By Neha ChamariaSCHD vs NOBL: Which ETF is the Best Buy for Your Dividend Goals? About the AuthorSelena Maranjian is a contributing personal finance and investing expert at The Motley Fool. Selena has produced The Motley Fool’s nationally syndicated newspaper feature since 1997. She is the author of The Motley Fool Money Guide and Investment Clubs: How to Start and Run One the Motley Fool Way, and the co-author of The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens and several editions of The Motley Fool Investment Tax Guide. Prior to The Motley Fool, she worked as a high school teacher and public opinion analyst. She holds a master’s degree in teaching from Brown University and a master’s degree in finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.TMFSelenaStocks MentionedSchwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETFNYSEMKT: SCHD$30.44(-0.59%)-$0.18*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.