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If you're like me, you're always on the lookout for a good dividend stock. One thing that always draws me in is a dividend yield that's high relative to a company's own history.

On that score, Hormel Food Corp. HRLRoyal Dutch Shell plc NYSE: RDS-Band Target Corporation NYSE: TGT all caught my eye, and each could be a solid buy -- for the right dividend investor. That's not the highest the yield has ever been, but it is on the high end of the company's historical yield.

To be fair, other valuation metrics, such as price to book and price to sales, point to a slightly above-average valuation. The thing is, good companies don't go on sale very often, and I'm willing to forgo a great price to get in the door here.

Why not wait for a fire sale? Hormel has raised its dividend annually for 51 years.

And while Hormel is probably best known for making Spam, it's been expanding into new areas through acquisitions of names such as Muscle Milk, Wholly Guacamole, and Justin's nut spreads. HRL Dividend Yield TTM data by YCharts. If the yield goes higher, I'll happily buy more.

If it doesn't, I certainly won't be upset with the price I paid, and neither would most conservative investors. The next stock is Royal Dutch Shell plc, with a 6. That's toward the high end of this company's history, though it's been higher on a couple of occasions.

There are two problems facing Shell today. The first is low oil prices. But that's an industrywide issue, and Shell is working to adjust, just as every other oil major is. The second is a relatively high debt load. That one was by design, driven by Shell's acquisition of BG group in That situation now has investors worried that the dividend will get cut. And the natural gas and deepwater oil assets it picked up with BG are expected to be key building blocks of its future.

Assuming Shell follows through on its debt plans, which looks like a reasonable expectation, the BG deal looks to have been a well-calculated risk.

5 stocks to buy in - Dec. 28,

B Dividend Yield TTM data by YCharts. Investors willing to accept a little extra bull eye stocks to buy today to get a higher yield should like the direction Shell is going in. Time is of the essence, however, since every asset sale makes the dividend that much more secure. And, eventually, I expect income sp binary options trading signals review to step back in and push the yield lower again.

Best Stocks to Buy Now

The big problem is a broad consumer shift toward online sales. But sometimes adversity can present opportunity for intrepid investors. For example, Target's yield is higher today than it's ever been in the company's long history. That history, by the way, has included 49 consecutive annual dividend increases.

Mix these two facts together, and income investors should definitely be doing a deep dive here -- even if they don't hit the buy button. Target has already warned that sales will be weak through as it works to shift its business around to better fit the current market environment.

That means that is going to be a transition do you earn kohls cash online, highlighted by increased spending on things like its online sales platform, new store formats, careers involving stock market supply chain efficiency. TGT Dividend Yield TTM data by YCharts.

There's no guarantee that the changes Options payoff diagram covered call plans will help it successfully navigate the new retail landscape, which is why the stock is most forex mini micro account for aggressive investors.

However, the giant retailer has a long and successful history that suggests it can shift with the times. Moreover, despite the headwinds, it remains highly profitable.

You should be taking a close look at Target and its 4. Hormel, Shell, and Target offer dividend investors options across the risk spectrum. Shell, meanwhile, is moving aggressively to lower its debt and assuage concerns about its ability to cover its dividend. It's making a lot of progress, and the 6.

Target is the most aggressive of this trio, since it's facing something of an existential threat.

But for an aggressive investor, the 4. Reuben Brewer owns shares of Hormel Foods. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Reuben Gregg Brewer believes dividends are a window into a company's soul. He tries to invest in good souls. Skip to main content The Motley Fool Fool. Premium Advice Help Fool Answers Contact Us Login.

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