High Yielding Dividend Contenders for 2025

Top High-Yielding Dividend Contenders for 2025

I have recently started using AI to enhance my programming skills and do research. It appears that AI (Artificial Intelligence) can provide us with some factual insights. I ran a query to find which Dividend Contenders pay the highest dividend Income in 2025.

Here are some of the highest dividend-paying Dividend Contenders as of 2025—these are U.S. companies that have increased their dividends for 10 to 24 consecutive years and currently offer above-average yields:

🏆 Top High-Yield Dividend Contenders (2025)

Company Name

Ticker

Dividend Yield

Annual Payout

Sector

Community Healthcare Trust

CHCT

~6.4%

$1.84

Real Estate (Healthcare REIT)

Enterprise Products Partners

EPD

~6.9%

$1.90

Energy (Midstream MLP)

Vici Properties

VICI

~5.4%

$1.56

Real Estate (Gaming REIT)

Allete Inc.

ALE

~4.6%

$2.92

Utilities

American Electric Power

AEP

~3.4%

$3.72

Utilities

Amerisafe Inc.

AMSF

~3.3%

$1.56

Insurance

Amgen Inc.

AMGN

~3.4%

$9.52

Healthcare (Biotech)

Alliant Energy

LNT

~3.1%

$2.03

Utilities

📌 These companies have maintained consistent dividend growth and offer yields well above the S&P 500 average of ~1.2%2.

💡 Why These Stand Out

• Enterprise Products Partners (EPD): 27 years of dividend growth, backed by fee-based cash flow from energy infrastructure.

• Vici Properties (VICI): Long-term leases with inflation-linked escalators, making its income stream highly predictable.

• Community Healthcare Trust (CHCT): Focused on healthcare real estate, offering stability and a high yield.

Top Dividend Contenders of 2025: High-Yield Stocks with a Proven Track Record

In the ever-evolving landscape of income investing, Dividend Contenders stand out as a sweet spot for those seeking both reliability and growth. These are companies that have increased their dividends for 10 to 24 consecutive years, striking a balance between youthful momentum and seasoned consistency. As of 2025, several Dividend Contenders are offering exceptionally high yields, making them attractive picks for income-focused investors.

💰 What Makes a Dividend Contender Valuable?

Dividend Contenders aren’t just about the yield—they’re about sustainability. These companies have weathered market cycles, economic downturns, and industry disruptions, all while steadily increasing their payouts. High yield alone can be a red flag if not backed by strong fundamentals, but the following contenders combine generous dividends with solid financials and consistent growth.

🏆 Highest-Yielding Dividend Contenders in 2025

1. Enterprise Products Partners (EPD)

• Yield: ~6.9%

• Sector: Energy (Midstream MLP)

• Years of Dividend Growth: 27

• Why It Stands Out: With fee-based cash flows and a wide moat in energy infrastructure, EPD continues to deliver robust distributions backed by strong cash generation.

2. Community Healthcare Trust (CHCT)

• Yield: ~6.4%

• Sector: Real Estate (Healthcare REIT)

• Years of Dividend Growth: 10+

• Why It Stands Out: Focused on healthcare properties in underserved markets, CHCT offers a stable income stream with defensive characteristics.

3. Vici Properties (VICI)

• Yield: ~5.4%

• Sector: Real Estate (Gaming REIT)

• Years of Dividend Growth: 10+

• Why It Stands Out: Long-term leases with built-in escalators and recession-resistant tenants make VICI a standout in the REIT space.

4. Allete Inc. (ALE)

• Yield: ~4.6%

• Sector: Utilities

• Years of Dividend Growth: 14

• Why It Stands Out: A regional utility with a growing renewable energy portfolio, ALE offers both stability and future-facing growth.

5. Amgen Inc. (AMGN)

• Yield: ~3.4%

• Sector: Healthcare (Biotech)

• Years of Dividend Growth: 13

• Why It Stands Out: A biotech giant with a strong pipeline and consistent cash flow, Amgen’s dividend growth is backed by innovation and scale.

📊 Dividend Metrics to Watch

When evaluating high-yield Dividend Contenders, consider:

• Payout Ratio: Is the dividend sustainable relative to earnings?

• Free Cash Flow: Can the company fund dividends without borrowing?

• Dividend Growth Rate: Is the yield growing faster than inflation?

• Debt Levels: High leverage can threaten future payouts.

Another good list of possible Dividend Stocks to consider is the Perpetual Dividend Raisers.

The current top 10 “perpetual dividend raisers” (Dividend Aristocrats) by dividend yield are mostly financials, REITs, and staples, led by Franklin Resources and T. Rowe Price.​

Top 10 Perpetual Dividend Raisters by Dividend Yield

Ordered from highest to lowest indicated dividend yield (rounded) among Dividend Aristocrats in 2025:​

1. Franklin Resources (BEN) – about 7.3% yield.​

2. T. Rowe Price Group (TROW) – about 5.9% yield.​

3. Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) – about 5.7% yield.​

4. Realty Income (O) – about 5.5%–5.7% yield.​

5. Amcor (AMCR) – about 5.4%–6.1% yield.​

6. Eversource Energy (ES) – about 5.2% yield.​

7. Chevron (CVX) – about 5.0% yield.​

8. Target (TGT) – about 4.8%–5.3% yield.​

9. Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT) – about 4.7% yield.​

10. Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) – about 4.3% yield.​

Yield data notes

• Yields move with price, so these figures are approximate and can change quickly.​

• All names above meet the 25+ year dividend increase requirement that defines Dividend Aristocrats, making them reasonable candidates for a “perpetual raiser” screen.​

🧠 Final Thoughts

While chasing yield can be tempting, the real power of Dividend Contenders lies in their consistency and resilience. The top-paying contenders of 2025 offer not just income, but a track record of shareholder-friendly policies and long-term value creation. For investors building a dividend portfolio, these names deserve a closer look—not just for what they pay today, but for what they promise tomorrow.

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