Dividend stocks are retirement investors that require a common way for investors to generate income, particularly reliable cash flow. Most dividends are paid quarterly, but some companies pay monthly, and many investors may prefer a greater frequency.
One of the best parts of dividend stocks is the joy of seeing your payments deposited in your stock trading account without lifting your fingers – a real passive income. And with monthly dividend stocks, you can experience that joy 12 times a year, not just the typical four times.
Monthly dividends are particularly popular among real estate investment trusts (REITs) as these companies have to pay substantial dividends by law and have business models with recurring revenue (rents) that support reliable cash flow.
We paid a relatively small number of companies with monthly dividends and organized some of the best with the following characteristics (data as of May 28, 2025).
- Traded on US exchanges for easy access
- Market capitalization of over $1 billion for some degree of financial stability
- There are no business development companies (BDCs). This is a dangerous segment that often pays monthly dividends
Here are the top 7 monthly dividend stocks. This is a source of information that is often overlooked due to monthly dividends, and should be aware of when searching for monthly dividend stocks.
1. Real estate income (o)
Realty Income is a REIT whose identity is based on monthly dividends, as it is called a “monthly dividend company.” The company owns single unit commercial property that typically lasts for over 10 years and is leased to high quality tenants for a long period of time.
- Market Cap: $50.4 billion
- yield: 5.7%
2. SL Green (SLG)
You may not be familiar with the name, but SL Green is the REIT behind many of the Big Apple’s offices. In fact, the company charges itself as “owner of New York City’s largest office real estate.” Despite concerns about employees continuing to work from home, New York City remains the top market for this type of real estate.
- Market Cap: $4.3 billion
- yield: 5.4%
3. StagIndustrial (Stag)
This REIT focuses on industrial properties and warehouses, particularly since the advent of Covid-19, which are niches that have performed well in the rise of e-commerce. Stag is a strong performer and we look forward to seeing significant growth in the coming years as e-commerce continues to grow.
- Market Cap: $6.7 billion
- yield: 4.3%
4. AGNC Investment (AGNC)
AGNC investments are a specific type of REIT, known as mortgage REITs, which own real estate mortgages rather than real estate itself. In this REIT, you will purchase a safer agency-supported mortgage. The company has been in the public eye for over 15 years and dividends fluctuate depending on the economic situation, but it paid a significant dividend along the way.
- Market Cap: $9.3 billion
- yield: 16.0%
5. Apple HospitalityReit (Aple)
The accommodation operates over 200 hotels in some of the industry’s most well-known brands, including Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt. Apple Hospitality, like many of its peers, had to hit the pandemic hard and cut its dividends, but now it’s back to monthly payments.
- Market Cap: $2.8 billion
- yield: 8.2%
6. EPR Properties (EPR)
EPR is called an empirical REIT in itself. That’s because it focuses on properties where consumers can have fun, such as cinemas, ski resorts and other cultural venues. I’ve been investing in experience assets for over 20 years and had to eliminate dividends during the pandemic, but I’ve returned to my monthly payments.
- Market Cap: $4.1 billion
- yield: 6.5%
7. Consent Real Estate (ADC)
Adem Realty is another name behind the name. It owns over 1,500 properties that lease to well-known retail companies, including Advance Auto Parts, Petsmart, and Autozone. This REIT was converted to a monthly payment schedule in 2021, but has been published since 1994.
- Market Cap: $8.3 billion
- yield: 4.1%
Check closed-end funds for monthly dividends
The number of shares paid monthly dividends is limited. If you really need a monthly dividend stream, you’ll need to buy many of them. Or there are most quarterly dividends. However, you don’t want to put all your money into one or two monthly dividend payers as you take significant risks due to the modest profits of your monthly payments.
However, investors have one option if they are looking for a diverse fund that they pay monthly: closed-end funds (CEFs). These funds are stock and bond collections that will help you provide diversification in your investments and reduce risk.
It is also useful to know that CEFs are liable to invest in large amounts of debt. This means that there can be a lot of fluctuations when the market becomes unstable. If you have to settle your debts during tough times, that means they also need to reduce their payments.
Finally, it is important to note that familiar investors usually only purchase CEFs if they are below the net asset value, meaning that the prices of all assets deduct liabilities. The practice is built on the investment safety margin and helps protect investors, but there is no guarantee of safety.
Things that monthly dividend investors should be careful about
Monthly dividends are attractive, but don’t be surprised by the usual monthly payment outlook. Forget that the underlying company still has to thrive. When evaluating monthly dividend stocks, we’d like to look at the following issues, including some secrets to making your dividend investment successful.
- Dividend Sustainability
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Dividend sustainability is one of the important things to look at, regardless of how often your company pays. If a company cuts its payments, it could quickly overturn stocks. It makes little sense to buy a share with a 5% dividend only if you need to cut or eliminate payments.
- A resilient business model
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Companies with resilient business models thrive in good times and are not so poor in bad times. Additionally, a resilient business model can help companies have to cut payments when time is tight.
- High repetitive cash flow
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Businesses with high recurring cash flow, such as subscription businesses and real estate businesses, are more stable and have the ability to pay dividends safely.
These are three issues that investors rely on dividends should pay particular attention to, but they add to other issues that need to be analyzed when investing in individual stocks. However, these issues are not very suitable when purchasing the best dividend ETF. Buying ETFs is easier than individual stocks and requires less work.
And those looking for all kinds of sustainable dividend stocks (not just monthly payers) should look into dividend aristocrats who have a record of returns that is vised.
Conclusion
It’s good to be paid out of monthly investments, but it’s important to remember that dividend sustainability is more important than paying frequency. After all, you can split a typical quarterly dividend into three parts and pay yourself each month. Therefore, we will focus on finding companies with strong records of payments, ideally increasing payments.
Editorial Disclaimer: All investors are advised to conduct their own independent research into investment strategies before making an investment decision. Furthermore, investors recommend that past investment products performance is not a guarantee of future price increases.