Three High-Yield Dividend Stocks to Buy Now Offering 3%+ Returns

In today’s market environment, the average dividend yield of the S&P 500 hovers around 1.2%, standing near historically low levels. Yet this doesn’t mean income-focused investors are short on options. In fact, several well-established companies continue to offer dividend yields substantially higher than the broader market average, providing compelling opportunities for those seeking meaningful income. Here are three dividend stocks to buy now that deliver yields of at least 3%, backed by strong business fundamentals and proven track records.

Why Income Investors Should Consider These Dividend Stocks Right Now

The challenge many income investors face is finding companies that can deliver both attractive current yields and sustainable growth. The three dividend stocks profiled here meet that criteria. Each operates a distinct business model—spanning global infrastructure, energy, and real estate—that generates reliable cash flows. More importantly, each has demonstrated the financial strength and strategic positioning to continue increasing payouts to shareholders over time.

Brookfield Infrastructure: Global Reach, Consistent Payout Growth

Brookfield Infrastructure (trading under NYSE tickers BIPC and BIP) currently yields approximately 3.8%, among the highest in this group. The company operates a geographically diverse portfolio of mission-critical infrastructure assets spanning utilities, transportation, energy midstream, and data sectors. What distinguishes Brookfield is the structural stability underlying its business. Roughly 85% of its funds from operations derive from either inflation-indexed contracts or government-regulated rate structures—meaning its earnings benefit from inflation protection rather than suffering from it.

This cash flow reliability enables Brookfield to follow a disciplined dividend policy, targeting a 60-70% payout ratio while reinvesting the remainder into expansion. Currently, the company maintains approximately $7.8 billion in capital projects under development, expected to be completed over the next two to three years. The lion’s share—nearly $6 billion—is concentrated in its high-growth data segment, including semiconductor foundry investments and global data center development.

Beyond organic growth, Brookfield actively pursues acquisitions of complementary infrastructure assets. Over the past year alone, the company has secured $1.5 billion in deals, including refined products pipeline assets, bulk fiber networks, and advanced fuel cell systems. These initiatives support management’s projections of growing funds from operations by over 10% annually, which should translate into dividend increases ranging from 5% to 9% per year. Since 2009, Brookfield has already grown its payout at a 9% compound annual rate—a testament to its execution capability.

ExxonMobil: An Energy Powerhouse with Fortress Financials

ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) carries a dividend yield just above 3%. The oil and gas sector’s largest player benefits from a globally integrated business model that partially insulates it from oil price volatility. Even more compelling is its financial foundation. Already the industry’s most profitable company, Exxon projects substantial profit expansion ahead. The company anticipates delivering an additional $25 billion in annual earnings growth and $35 billion in incremental cash flow by 2030, measured on a constant-price, constant-margin basis compared to 2024 levels.

Exxon plans to achieve this through a combination of structural cost reductions and high-return capital projects. Under these assumptions, the company would generate approximately $145 billion in cumulative surplus cash over the next five years at an average oil price around $65 per barrel. That abundance of free cash flow provides ample capacity for sustained dividend increases. Indeed, Exxon has raised its dividend for a sector-leading 42 consecutive years—making it one of the rare dividend aristocrats in the energy space.

Prologis: A REIT Built for Dividend Expansion

Prologis (NYSE: PLD) offers a 3.2% dividend yield. As a real estate investment trust, Prologis derives its dividend support from stable cash flows generated by long-term property leases. The company’s lease portfolio incorporates annual rental escalation clauses, enabling it to capture steady income growth. Additionally, Prologis maintains a conservative dividend payout ratio alongside one of the sector’s strongest balance sheets—providing both financial cushion and flexibility.

The company’s current focus centers on logistics properties, which remain core to its strategy. However, management recognizes a significant opportunity to deploy its extensive land bank, solar and battery storage expertise, and construction capabilities toward data center development. This multi-pronged approach creates multiple pathways for dividend growth. Notably, Prologis has expanded its payout at a 13% compound annual rate over the past five years—substantially outpacing the S&P 500’s historical 5% average. This growth trajectory demonstrates management’s ability to capitalize on market opportunities.

The Investment Case for These Dividend Stocks to Buy

Brookfield Infrastructure, ExxonMobil, and Prologis represent three distinct but complementary approaches to securing above-market dividend income. Each company combines an attractive current yield exceeding 3% with a business model capable of generating durable cash flows. Equally important, each brings a proven history of consistent dividend growth, underpinned by either infrastructure stability, energy market dominance, or real estate scarcity value.

What ties these three together is financial discipline. None pursues an unsustainable payout ratio. Instead, each reinvests a portion of cash generation into growth initiatives—whether that’s data center expansion, exploration and production projects, or logistics portfolio enhancement. This balanced approach suggests their dividend growth should prove sustainable through various market cycles.

For investors evaluating dividend stocks to buy now, these three merit serious consideration. The combination of current income above 3%, financial strength, and multi-year dividend growth track records addresses the core requirements of a reliable income investment. While past performance offers no guarantee of future results, the structural advantages and management execution demonstrated by these companies suggest they remain well-positioned to continue rewarding shareholders through both current distributions and rising payouts.