Blue Chip Dividend Divas

The stock market has capped the best January for stocks since 1997, and strong retail sales and hints of improvements in the job and housing markets are making it look like 2011 is going to be a good year for investors. But after all the uncertainty of the past few years, many investors are reluctant to jump in with both feet. Safe-haven investments like gold and high-yield dividend stocks remain in favor because some folks are afraid the recovery will stall, while others are downright expecting the bottom to fall out.

Whether you’re bullish or bearish on stocks in 2011, a guaranteed payday of 4%, 5% or even 6% via dividends is a great way to provide stability to your portfolio. And when you’re looking for the top dividend stocks, the blue chips in the Dow Jones Industrial average have a lot to offer. Here are a few dividend stocks boasting the highest yield among the Dow components that income investors may want to consider: AT&T (T), Verizon (VZ), Merck (MRK), Pfizer (PFE) and Kraft Foods (KFT).

Source: InvestorPlace

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