Strong Dividend Stocks

Many new investors to the stock market are often baffled as to where to start. While many financial advisors suggest balanced mutual and index funds with a mixture of bonds dependent on the investors' age, others recommend a more aggressive basket of 10 to 15 individual stocks that are selected to outperform funds, sacrificing short-term stability for longer-term growth.

These three dividend stocks have a strong track record of paying out dividends that are higher than their respective industry peers. I have chosen these three stocks in particular in order of ascending risk, explaining the benefits and drawbacks of owning each stock: Altria (NYSE: MO), American Capital Agency Corp. (NASDAQ: AGNC) and France Telecom SA (NYSE: FTE).

Source: Motley Fool

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