3 No-Brainer High-Yielding Stocks to Buy With $5,000 Today

It never hurts to hold dividend stocks – especially when markets get uncontrollably volatile. Not only can they help protect your portfolio, but they can help generate healthy passive income along the way. Plus, dividend stocks can help smooth out the ride when markets drop. 

American States Water 

With a yield of 2.34%, Dividend King, American States Water (NYSE: AWR) provides water and electric services with a strong history of consistent dividend increases. It’s paid out a dividend every year since 19321.

Earlier this month, AWR approved a quarterly dividend of $0.4655 per share – its 356th consecutive dividend – which is payable on June 3 to shareholders of record as of May 19. Even better, it just blew earnings out of the water.

In its first quarter, EPS of 70 cents beat by three cents. Revenue of $148.01 million, up 9.4% year over year, beat by $2.16 million. Plus, analysts at Wells Fargo just upgraded AWR to an equal weight rating with a price target of $84.

Pepsico 

With a yield of 4.33%, Pepsico (NASDAQ: PEP | PEP Price Prediction) is a familiar name with a strong, dependable yield. In fact, PEP has now raised its dividend for the 53rd time since 1965. Most recently, PEP paid out a quarterly dividend of $1.355 per share – a 7% increase year over year – on March 31.

Helping, analysts at RBC just reiterated a sector perform rating on the stock with a target price of $163 per share. We’ll also get a better look at PEP when it releases earnings.

AGNC Investment Corp. 

With a yield of 15.6%, AGNC Investment (NASDAQ: AGNC) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that invests in residential mortgage-backed securities. With these, the principal and interest payments are guaranteed by the U.S. government or a U.S. government agency.

The REIT’s Board of Directors also declared a cash dividend of 12 cents per share, which is payable on June 10, 2025, to shareholders of record as of May 30, 2025.

Here are a few more dividend payers you may also want to consider.

Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF

With an expense ratio of 0.05% and a monthly yield of 1.73%, the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (SYM: VIG) is also an attractive opportunity. It tracks the performance of the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index and invests in large-cap stocks with a record of dividend growth.

Some of the VIG ETF’s 338 holdings include Apple, Microsoft, Broadcom, JPMorgan, Eli Lilly, Visa, Exxon Mobil, UnitedHealth Group, Mastercard and Costco Wholesale to name a few.

Fidelity High Dividend ETF 

We can also look at the Fidelity High Dividend ETF (SYM: FDVV).

With an expense ratio of 0.16% and a yield of 3.26%, the FDVV ETF tracks the Fidelity High Dividend Index, which is designed to reflect the performance of stocks of large- and mid-capitalization dividend-paying companies that are expected to continue to grow dividends.

Some of its top holdings include Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, JPMorgan Chase, Visa, Exxon Mobil, Philip Morris, and Procter & Gamble to name a few.

iShares Core High Dividend ETF 

There’s also the iShares Core High Dividend ETF (SYM: HDV).

With an expense ratio of 0.08% and a yield of 3.3%, the HDV ETF tracks the investment results of an index composed of relatively high dividend-paying U.S. equities. Some of its 75 holdings include Exxon Mobil, Johnson & Johnson, Progressive Corp., Chevron, and AbbVie.