Caterpillar Inc ( NYSE: CAT) manufactures heavy equipment that builds the world's infrastructure. The company just paid $1.51 per share in January 2026, bringing its annual dividend to $6.04 (up from $5.84 in 2025). That 3.4% increase extends a 15-year streak of annual raises. With a yield under 1%, you're not buying CAT for income today. You're buying it for what the dividend becomes over the next decade.
The WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Fund ( NYSEARCA:DHS) offers retirees monthly income and capital appreciation. With $1.3 billion in assets and a 3.46% yield, this ETF holds diversified high-dividend U.S. equities. The fund's defensive tilt (41% in consumer staples, healthcare, and utilities) provides stability, while its 0.38% expense ratio keeps costs low. DHS delivers monthly distributions, attractive for retirees managing cash flow. Over the past year, the fund combined its 3.46% yield with 14.15% price appreciation for approximately 17.6% total return.
At 24/7 Wall St., we have focused on dividend stocks for over 15 years because, despite the stock market's ups and downs, many people need solid passive income streams to supplement their income from employment or other sources. With many on Wall Street predicting that the S&P 500 will hit 7,000 by year-end, others have already voiced concerns about the pace of the three-year-old rally that began in late 2022 with the introduction of ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI.
