3 High Dividend Stocks With Safe Dividends

The average dividend yield in the S&P 500 Index remains low at 1.1%. As a result, income investors largely have to settle for less dividend income when buying stocks. However, there are still quality companies with high dividend yields well above the market average. 

This article will highlight three stocks that could be attractive for income investors due to their high dividend yields.

All 3 stocks have yields above 4%, which is more than three times the average yield of the S&P 500. 

Sonoco Products (SON)

Sonoco Products provides packaging, industrial products and supply chain services to its customers. The markets that use the company’s products include those in the appliances, electronics, beverage, construction and food industries. Sonoco was founded in Hartsville, South Carolina in 1899 and introduced the first paper textile cone. The company generates $7.5 billion in annual sales. Sonoco Products is composed of 2 major segments, Consumer Packaging, and Industrial Packaging. 

Sonoco Products has an impressive dividend growth streak of 50 consecutive years. On April 21st, 2026, Sonoco Products reported first quarter results for the period ending March 29th, 2026. For the quarter, revenue declined 1.8% to $1.68 billion, which was $30 million less than expected. Adjusted earnings-per-share of $1.20 compared to $1.38 in the prior year, but this matched estimates. The company has now lapped the comparable periods prior to the addition of Eviosys. For the quarter, Consumer Packaging revenues were higher by 2.9% to $1.10 billion as price increases offset weaker volumes and inflation and tariff pressures. Sales for Industrial Paper Packing were down 1.4% $579 million as higher prices were offset by lower volume and mix. 

Sonoco Products provided an updated outlook for 2026 as well, with the company now expecting adjusted earnings-per share results near the low end of its prior range of $5.80 to $6.20 for the year. The company has grown earnings-per-share at a rate of 8.6% since 2016. Over the past decade the company has averaged a 45% dividend payout ratio, but it is projected to be much lower than that this year. Sonoco Products has a very reasonable dividend payout ratio of 37% based off company expectations for 2026. SON stock currently yields 4.5%.

Kimberly-Clark Corp. (KMB)

The Kimberly-Clark Corporation is a global consumer products company that operates in 175 countries and sells disposable consumer goods, including paper towels, diapers, and tissues. It operates through two segments that each house many popular brands: Personal Care Segment (Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex, Depend, Poise) and the Consumer Tissue segment (Kleenex, Scott, Cottonelle, and Viva), generating about $20 billion in annual revenue. 

In the first quarter, KMB boosted its dividend to $5.12 per share annually from $5.04 previously. That was the 54th consecutive year of dividend increases for the company.

Kimberly-Clark posted first quarter earnings on April 28th, 2026, and results were better than expected on both the top and bottom lines. Adjusted earnings-per-share came to $1.97, which was four cents ahead of estimates. Revenue was down 2.7% year-over-year to $4.2 billion, but did beat estimates by $110 million. Gross margin was 37.9% of revenue on an adjusted basis, which was down 60 basis points year-over-year. 

Operating profit was $732 million, up 3.7% year-over-year on productivity savings, lower marketing, and general expenses, but also favorable currency translation. Volume plus mix grew 3% on an organic basis, which marks nine consecutive quarters of organic volume and mix growth. Organic sales growth is expected to be lower in Q2 versus Q1, noting the fire at its California distribution center is going to be a headwind, and then the second half should look better.

While Kimberly-Clark has not meaningfully grown its revenue for years, it has managed to grow its earnings-per-share thanks to share repurchases and its cost reduction programs. With operating margins rising steadily over time, increasing profitability is working to offset somewhat weak revenue numbers. Kimberly-Clark’s management team has continuously extended this initiative.

Kimberly-Clark’s competitive advantage is its longstanding dominance with a variety of its brands, which are well known in the marketplace. It should also perform well during recessions as most of its products are consumable staples. KMB stock currently yields 5.2%.

Eversource Energy (ES)

Eversource Energy is a diversified holding company with subsidiaries that provide regulated electric, gas, and water distribution services in the Northeast United States. The company serves more than four million utility customers. The regulated utility is organized into the four following operating segments. The Electric Distribution segment is comprised of the distribution businesses of The Connecticut Light and Power Company, NSTAR Electric Company, and the Public Service Company of New Hampshire. These subsidiaries distribute electricity to retail customers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

Second, the Electric Transmission segment includes transmission facilities owned by the three subsidiaries of the Electric Distribution segment. These transmit electricity throughout New England.

Next, the Natural Gas Distribution segment includes the NSTAR Gas, EGMA, and Yankee Gas subsidiaries. Together, these distribute natural gas to more than 900,000 customers throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut. Finally, the Water Distribution segment operates five separate regulated water utilities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. These businesses serve nearly 250,000 customers in 73 towns and cities. 

On May 6th, ES shared its earnings report for the first quarter ended March 31st, 2026. The company’s total operating revenue grew by 9.4% year-over-year to $4.50 billion during the quarter. That was largely powered by higher base distribution rate increases implemented across its natural gas businesses last November to allow the utility to start recovering costs from its heavy ongoing investments in natural gas pipeline safety and infrastructure modernization. Electric rate adjustments in Massachusetts and New Hampshire also allowed ES to begin recouping the costs of grid hardening and reliability upgrades. 

Non-GAAP EPS surged 15.3% over the year-ago period to $1.73 in the quarter (that backed out a $0.12 charge from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, lowering the return on equity from 10.57% to 9.57% in March). This topped the analyst consensus for the quarter by $0.10.

ES has increased its dividend for 28 consecutive years, placing it on the list of Dividend Aristocrats. ES stock currently yields 4.7%.

Disclosure: No positions in any stocks mentioned