Best August Dividend Stocks For Making Money Off Dividends
Let’s talk stocks that pay dividends in August.
Fill out your dividend calendar. Find a few good companies that pay dividends for your portfolio. Today’s list of August dividend stocks will meet your needs, no matter your dividend investing goals.
So, let’s dive into these August dividend payers right now.
Stocks That Pay Dividends In August
Here is today’s list of stocks that pay dividends in August.
- NYSE: CLX – Clorox
- NYSE: HRL – Hormel Foods
- NYSE: PG – Procter & Gamble
- NASDAQ: AAPL – Apple
- NYSE: T – AT&T
- NYSE: VZ – Verizon
- NYSE: ABT – Abbott Labs
- NYSE: ABBV – AbbVie
- NYSE: O – Realty Income
- NASDAQ: PAYX – Paychex
First, I will highlight each of these stocks for August dividends.
Second, I will offer several tips for optimizing your August paying dividend stocks.
Finally, before wrapping up, I have five more August dividend payers for a total of 15.
Let’s start with three stocks that pay dividends from the consumer staples sector. These companies have steady demand for household products and packaged food, making them excellent companies that pay dividends in August.
Please note that all dividend data is as of the date of this article update.
Disclosure: At no cost to you, I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
1. NYSE: CLX – Clorox
- Industry: Consumer staples
- 20-year annual average dividend growth rate: 8.4%
- Increased dividend annually since 1978
- Dividend status list: Dividend Aristocrat
- The ex-dividend date for August dividend: Late July
- The stock pays dividends in February, May, August, and November
Hot takes on Clorox shares:
Clorox is one of my favorite dividend stocks. It has a long history of annual dividend increases and steady dividend growth.
Plus, I like a lot of the company’s products. They dominate market share in the categories in which they compete.
I’m confident Clorox will keep increasing its dividend yearly and soon become a Dividend King. 50 consecutive years of higher dividend payouts will put this stock in elite status
Plus, I believe the dividend growth rate will remain strong.
Boost your dividend income: How to make $3,000 in dividends every month
2. NYSE: HRL – Hormel Foods
- Industry: Food Processing
- 20-year annual average dividend growth rate: 12.9%
- Increased dividend annually since 1967
- Dividend status list: Dividend King
- The ex-dividend date for August dividend: Mid-July
- The stock pays dividends in February, May, August, and November
Hot takes on Hormel stock:
Like Clorox, Hormel dominates the markets it pursues.
First, the company’s brands hold the number 1 or 2 market share position in dozens of categories.
Furthermore, Hormel pepperoni is the leading brand in retail grocery stores. Nearly 100 million jars of Skippy peanut butter are produced annually.
Finally, the company’s brand strength fuels the Hormel dividend earning the company status as a Dividend King. I also like the solid 20-year dividend growth rate.
Pro tip: Become a better dividend investor. Learn all you can. Take the Dividend Investing Course offered by Simply Investing.
3. NYSE: PG – Procter & Gamble
- Industry: Consumer staples
- 20-year annual average dividend growth rate: 8.1%
- Increased dividend annually since 1957
- Dividend status list: Dividend King
- The ex-dividend date for August dividend: Late July
- The stock pays dividends in February, May, August, and November
Hot takes on P&G stock:
P&G has pursued a more focused strategy in recent years by selling many of its underperforming brands.
The result is a leaner company with higher profit margins.
Dividend growth slowed during the company’s restructuring but accelerated more recently.
To protect its status as a Dividend King. I expect many more years of annual dividend increases from Procter and Gamble.
Pro tip: Trade your dividend stocks fast and free with the powerful Webull app.
Next, three stocks are paying August dividends from the technology and telecommunications sectors…
4. NASDAQ: AAPL – Apple
- Industry: Technology
- 10-year annual dividend growth rate: 8.5%
- Increased dividend annually since 2013
- Dividend status list: Dividend Achiever
- The ex-dividend date for August dividend: Early August
- The stock pays dividends in February, May, August, and November
In-depth insights: Read more about Apple stock.
Hot takes on Apple shares:
We all know Apple for its popular iPhone. Also, for their classy retail stores dotting the globe.
On the other hand, Apple is not your typical dividend stock. Why not? Because of the stock’s low dividend yield.
Nevertheless, Apple stock pays dividends in August. Plus, February, May, and November. The recurring payments make it a dividend stock from my perspective.
Furthermore, the low dividend yield is not so bad, considering the high dividend growth since 2013.
Finally, Apple investors have historically enjoyed spectacular share price appreciation.
Learn more: The 40 stocks in my dividend portfolio
5. NYSE: T – AT&T
- Industry: Telecommunications & Media
- Restructured and decreased dividend in 2022
- Dividend status list: None
- The ex-dividend date for August dividend: Early July
- The stock pays dividends in February, May, August, and November
Hot takes on AT&T stock:
I’ve patiently held AT&T stock for years and collected pretty hefty dividends. Because, unlike Apple, AT&T typically carries a high dividend yield.
On the other hand, AT&T stock has not been a good investment for me.
Furthermore, I have become less and less of a fan of AT&T because of the company’s changing business strategies.
AT&T took on significant debt to acquire and build its media businesses. Yet the company sold those businesses to Discovery a few years later.
As a result, a smaller AT&T is paying a lower dividend versus the past. On the other hand, AT&T investors did receive shares in the newly formed media company.
I’ve debated selling my AT&T stock and reinvesting the proceeds in Home Depot. Home Depot is a high-quality dividend growth stock that pays dividends in March, June, September, and December.
Editors note: I bought Home Depot stock for the first time in 2022 and hope to hold it forever. I’m still holding AT&T, but I reduced the size of my position.
How to guide: Easy steps to build your dividend portfolio
6. NYSE: VZ – Verizon
- Industry: Telecommunications
- 20-year annual average dividend growth rate: 2.7%
- Increased dividend annually since 2005
- Dividend status list: Dividend Achiever
- The ex-dividend date for August dividend: Early July
- The stock pays dividends in February, May, August, and November
Hot takes on Verizon stock:
Unlike AT&T, Verizon has stuck much more closely to its core telecommunications business. In hindsight, this has been the better strategy between these two big U.S. telecom companies.
You won’t benefit from rapid dividend growth by owning Verizon stock because the company must invest large amounts of cash to build and maintain its wireless infrastructure.
This topic leads me to 5G networking.
Verizon has spent massive amounts of money buying 5G spectrum. The company is a leader in rolling out this new technology to consumers and businesses alike.
5G is expected to bring massive speed and scale to the internet. So, it makes me happy to have a small investment in this technology expected to revolutionize how we get things done!
Okay, it’s time to switch gears. For our next 2 August dividend-paying stocks, I will transition into the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors.
Aging populations in the developed world demand more health care. This demographic trend supports these companies rising dividends.
Make it happen: Earn financial freedom with dividends
7. NYSE: ABT – Abbott Labs
- Industry: Health Care
- 20-year annual average dividend growth rate: 9.3%
- Increased dividend annually since 1972
- Dividend status list: Dividend King
- The ex-dividend date for August dividend: Mid-July
- The stock pays dividends in February, May, August, and November
Hot takes on Abbott shares:
Abbott has all the things I like from a dividend stock.
First, the company has a durable business model that has withstood the test of time. For example, Abbott has been operating profitably for more than 130 years.
Furthermore, Abbott participates in growing markets that support future earnings.
Next, from a dividend perspective, investors earn consistent quarterly dividend payments. At the same time, they are benefiting from a high degree of dividend safety and excellent dividend growth.
Finally, let’s not forget that Abbott’s stock has appreciated nicely over the years. As a result, the company has become more valuable to its stakeholders.
Pro tip: Manage your entire financial picture for free with the online app from Empower.
8. NYSE: ABBV – AbbVie
- Industry: Pharmaceuticals
- 10-year annual dividend growth rate: 14%
- Increased dividend annually since 2013
- Dividend status list: Dividend Achiever
- The ex-dividend date for August dividend: Mid-July
- The stock pays dividends in February, May, August, and November
Hot takes on AbbVie stock:
AbbVie was founded in 2013. The previously discussed August dividend stock, Abbott Labs, formed the company through a spin-off.
AbbVie’s pharmaceutical products target challenging diseases such as cancer and viruses, plus they offer general medicines to promote good health of the immune system, nervous system, and brain.
The company has benefited from the massive success of the blockbuster drug Humira. However, AbbVie acquired Allergan, the maker of Botox, to diversify its product lines.
Most importantly, AbbVie has increased its dividend rapidly since the spin-off from Abbott.
Learn more: Dividend investing rules I stand by
Next is an August dividend stock from the real estate sector…
9. NYSE: O – Realty Income
- Industry: Real estate investment trust (REIT)
- 20-year annual average dividend growth rate: 4.3%
- Increased dividend annually since 1994
- Dividend status list: Dividend Aristocrat
- The ex-dividend date for August dividend: Late July
- The stock pays dividends monthly
In-depth insights: Learn more about Realty Income stock
Hot takes on Realty Income shares:
Realty Income boasts an impressive dividend track record. Promoting its nickname, “The Monthly Dividend Company,” shows its commitment to providing shareholders with a steady passive income stream from dividends.
Consecutive monthly dividend payments date back to 1969, well before the company started trading publicly in 1994.
While dividend growth has slowed, the combination of current dividend yield, consistent dividend growth, and share price appreciation has been outstanding.
Dividend investors like you and I have come to count on the company’s steady performance for August dividends and dividends every month.
But Realty Income doesn’t rest on its past accomplishments. For example, they closed a merger agreement with VEREIT not long ago.
The company uses acquisitions to produce higher profits and increase diversification. As a result, I am excited to see how this and other mergers perform.
I think Realty Income’s dividend growth will benefit. Could we see 5% or more per year moving forward? I’m not exactly sure. Only time will tell.
Join the debate: Monthly versus quarterly dividend stocks
And last but not least, I have a provider of business services for you in this first group of 10 August dividend stocks.
This company offers unique business diversity to today’s list of stocks paying dividends in August.
10. NASDAQ: PAYX – Paychex
- Industry: Business Services
- 20-year annual average dividend growth rate: 11%
- The ex-dividend date for August dividend: Late July
- The stock pays dividends in February, May, August, and November
Hot takes on Paychex shares:
Paychex is one of those under-the-radar dividend growth stocks.
The company is a business-to-business payroll processing services provider that provides human resources outsourcing too.
I’m a big fan of the company’s dividend policies. Because Paychex typically pays out about 80% of its accounting earnings to investors in the form of dividends.
The high payout ratio requires the company to pause dividend growth during economic downturns. This practice limits the company’s consecutive annual dividend increase history.
However, the record shows that when the economy recovers and Paychex’s earnings bounce back, management resumes its excellent track record of dividend growth.
Okay. That concludes my review of the first ten stocks paying dividends in August. But don’t go just yet.
Dividend Growth Stock Investing Tips For August Dividends And Other Months Too
Dividend investing tips are next, followed by five more stocks for August dividends, as I promised in the introduction.
I hope you can tell I enjoy writing about dividend stock investing and building dividend portfolios that make monthly passive dividend income.
There is much more to dividend investing than just knowing when your stocks pay. So, let’s keep rolling.
Stocks That Pay Dividends In February, May, August, and November
First, you already know that the companies on today’s list make their dividends payable in August.
Furthermore, 9 out of the first 10 companies pay their dividends quarterly. And they follow the quarterly dividend payable pattern of February, May, August, and November. One stock, Realty Income, pays dividends every month of the year.
So, understand that these 10 August dividend stocks pay in other months too.
And don’t forget this next point if you want dividends paid in August…
Be Sure To Mind Your Dividend Dates
You must buy your shares before the ex-dividend date to get a company’s August dividend. So, I have noted the approximate timing of the ex-dividend date for each company and its August dividend.
However, dividend dates are constantly changing. So, I recommend checking a company’s website for the exact dates for any dividend approved and declared.
Better yet, choose your dividend stocks, buy, and hold. As a result, you will receive every dividend that a company approves in the future.
Are you too late for August dividends? If yes, check out these September dividend stocks.
Never Buy A Stock Just Because It Pays Dividends In August
Dividends are a great way to supplement your income. And it’s nice that there are enough excellent dividend stocks to build out a monthly dividend portfolio.
However, never buy a stock just for the timing of its dividend payment.
First, look at the company’s business prospects, dividend payment track record, dividend safety, and financial position.
Second, weed out any companies in a weak position to maintain their dividend rate going forward. Vulnerable companies won’t be successful investments.
As I look back over today’s list of stocks that pay dividends in August, they are all excellent long-term holdings. Specifically, investments that pay dividend income today and provide for future dividend growth.
Yes, even my least favorite stock on today’s list, AT&T. But as I mentioned, I reduced my AT&T shares in favor of Home Depot (NYSE: HD).
Home Depot does not pay dividends in August. This furthers my earlier point to never buy a stock just because of the timing of its dividend payments.
Pick A Dividend Investing Strategy And Stick With It
Choosing dividend stocks is easier when you have a dividend investing strategy.
I recommend selecting from one of these three:
- High dividend income – low growth
- High growth – low dividend income
- Balanced growth and dividend income
Learn more: Understanding dividend strategy selection
Emphasize Diversification In Your Dividend Stock Portfolio Selections
Evaluate each dividend stock in your investment portfolio periodically. Put the timing of dividend payments aside.
Look at the industry diversification. For example, today’s companies provide the following essential services.
- Household goods
- Packaged foods
- Technology devices
- Telecommunication services
- Diversified healthcare products
- Pharmaceuticals
- Business services
- Real estate
Thus, you can create a diversified portfolio for recurring income by investing in today’s 10 August dividend-paying stocks. Diversification makes your portfolio safer and more valuable than any individual stock.
Monitor Your Dividend Stock Portfolio
Next, keep an eye on your dividend portfolio as time passes.
First, strive to buy and hold each of your stocks forever. On the other hand, you must identify dividend stocks in your portfolio that no longer meet your original investment objectives and consider swapping them out for better options.
Second, make sure your portfolio remains diversified. Never let one or two positions become too large.
Reinvest Your Dividends If You Can
I recommend reinvesting your dividends. Intelligent dividend investors do so to accelerate building dividend income snowballs.
Choose to reinvest automatically right back into the shares that paid the dividend. Or let dividends accumulate in cash and reinvest in a lump sum monthly or quarterly.
Here’s a resource to help with your dividend reinvestment decision.
Don’t Forget About Income Taxes On Your August Dividends
Everyone’s tax situation is different. However, most of us can count on paying taxes on our dividends even if they are reinvested. It is just one of the unfortunate realities of dividend investing.
One way to avoid or defer paying taxes on dividend income is by buying and holding your dividend stocks in an IRA. Another idea is to minimize realized capital gains in your taxable account.
Next…
Look For Dividend Growth In Stocks That Pay Dividends In August
While it’s nice that each of today’s companies pays August dividends, I made a point to emphasize their dividend growth stock investing prospects as we went through the review.
Why? Because companies and their stocks with solid dividend growth track records have these advantages:
- Possess durable business models that survive good times and bad
- Provide strong total investment returns
- Provide a hedge against inflation
- Generate a passive income today
- Have prospects for higher income in the future
Okay. Enough of my preaching about the merits of dividend stocks.
However, I have one last topic before wrapping up. Why? Because you came here to find out who pays dividends in August!
5 More Of The Best August Dividend Stocks
In the introduction, I promised five more stocks that pay dividends in August, and here they are.
11. NYSE: APD – Air Products & Chemicals
APD, a Dividend Aristocrat, manufactures and distributes industrial gases. Its customers include industrial, technology, energy, and materials businesses.
In the past, I have owned APD. However, I sold the stock as part of a portfolio clean-up and consolidation effort. Thus, I practice what I preach and monitor my dividend portfolio periodically, making changes as I see fit.
On the other hand, APD is an excellent company and dividend stock that pays in August.
Pro tip: How to create homemade dividends
12. NYSE: CAT – Caterpillar
Caterpillar makes and sells construction and mining equipment. The company operates in the industrial sector and is sensitive to economic conditions. Cyclical companies, like CAT, will sometime suspend dividend growth during recessions.
I own the stock in my portfolio to have exposure to industrial companies for diversification purposes.
Learn more: How to identify a good dividend yield
13. NYSE: CL – Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive, another Dividend King, is a branded consumer staples company. Its brands can be found in categories such as:
- Oral Care
- Personal Care
- Home Care
- Pet Care
This is a great company, and I used to own it. However, during one of my portfolio reviews, I decided I had too many stocks in the consumer staples sector, like Procter & Gamble, Clorox, Unilever, and Kimberly-Clark.
Thus, I sold out to consolidate positions. After all, it’s not wise to try and own them all.
Go for it: How to make $100K in dividends annually
14. NYSE: GD – General Dynamic
General Dynamics is a Dividend Aristocrat and a significant player in the aerospace and defense sector.
I’ve never owned GD. Instead, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are in my portfolio for aerospace and defense industry exposure.
Learn more: Understanding dividend payout ratios
15. NYSE: LOW – Lowe’s Companies
Like Home Depot, Lowe’s is one of North America’s top home improvement retailers. The company operates approximately 2,000 stores in the United States and Canada.
For my dividend investment portfolio, I choose Home Depot, mainly because I shop there regularly and I like the company’s brand recognition.
However, it was a toss-up for me between the two stocks. There is nothing wrong with investing in Lowe’s, another high-quality Dividend Aristocrat.
Believe it or not: You can get rich from dividends
Summary: 15 Stocks That Pay Dividends In August
Today, we reviewed a list of 15 stocks that pay dividends in August. They were:
- NYSE: CLX – Clorox
- NYSE: HRL – Hormel Foods
- NYSE: PG – Procter & Gamble
- NASDAQ: AAPL – Apple
- NYSE: T – AT&T
- NYSE: VZ – Verizon
- NYSE: ABT – Abbott Labs
- NYSE: ABBV – AbbVie
- NYSE: O – Realty Income
- NASDAQ: PAYX – Paychex
- NYSE: APD – Air Products & Chemicals
- NYSE: CAT – Caterpillar
- NYSE: CL – Colgate-Palmolive
- NYSE: GD – General Dynamic
- NYSE: LOW – Lowe’s Companies
Now you know who pays dividends in August.
While one stock, Realty Income, pays dividends every month. The other 9 are quarterly dividend-paying stocks in August. They make their dividend payments four times yearly during February, May, August, and November.
Finally, remember never to buy a stock solely because of the timing of its dividend payments. Look for solid business fundamentals and dividend growth too.
Good luck with your dividend stocks. Don’t forget that dividend investing is a long-term journey. Not a sprint.
So do your research. Regularly invest in small increments. Then watch your dividends grow.
More Reading About Stocks That Pay Dividends
- Our complete list of dividend investing articles
- Best stocks that pay dividends in March
- Top stocks that pay dividends in July
My Favorite Resources About Stocks That Pay Dividends
Make the most of your money and investments.
Check out these investing and personal finance resources I mentioned throughout the article.
- Trade stocks for free using the Webull app
- Take Simply Investing’s course on Dividend Investing
- Manage your total financial picture for free using Empower
Author Bio: Tom Scott founded the consulting and coaching firm Dividends Diversify, LLC. He leverages his expertise and decades of experience in goal setting, relocation assistance, and investing for long-term wealth to help clients reach their full potential.