3 Dividend Stocks With 5% (or Higher) Yields to Buy Hand Over Fist in October

The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) has a tiny little yield of just below 1.2%. You can do way better than that with companies like Kenvue (NYSE: KVUE), General Mills (NYSE: GIS), and Realty Income (NYSE: O), all of which have yields of at least 5%. If that sounds interesting to you as October rolls along, here's a quick look at each of these high-yield dividend stocks.

1. Kenvue is facing a publicity crisis

Kenvue is often listed on the Dividend King list because it was spun off from Dividend King Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) in mid-2023. It owns the over-the-counter health products that J&J used to produce, including things like Johnson's baby shampoo, Aveeno, Listerine, and Tylenol (more on this brand in a second), among many others. As a stand-alone business, it obviously only has a short history. That said, the dividend was increased in 2024 and again in 2025, so it is following the tradition of its former parent. Long-term dividend investors should probably assume that slow and steady dividend growth is the plan.

Kenvue is facing an unusual public relations crisis at the moment. The U.S. government has made claims that Tylenol may be a potential health concern during pregnancy. The stock has fallen dramatically, pushing the dividend yield up to a lofty 5.1% for what is, basically, a diversified consumer staples business with a large portfolio of industry-leading brands. There are risks here, since Kenvue has, for the moment, become a story stock. News flow will have an outsized effect on the shares until this issue passes. However, for more aggressive contrarian investors, this could be an opportunistic time to buy Kenvue.

2. General Mills is starting an investment year

General Mills isn't hiding the problems it faces. Fiscal first-quarter 2026 sales fell 7%, with organic sales down 3%. That's not good, but the company isn't sitting still and doing nothing. It has been warning investors that fiscal 2026 will be an investment year, in which the food maker will be increasing its spending on things like advertising and innovation. In fact, it's going to be something of a kitchen sink year, since the divestiture of the company's yogurt operations is going to be a drag on performance, as well. Periods like this happen.

Despite a very long and successful history of navigating the consumer staples sector and customer buying trends, General Mills' shares have been hard hit. The dividend yield has been pushed up to 5%. But while the dividend isn't getting increased every year, it has trended generally higher over the long term. Sure, quarterly earnings are likely to be rough reading in fiscal 2026, but that could be signaling a long-term opportunity for income investors to pick up a company that is a valuable partner to retailers, offering people the well-known brands they trust.

3. Realty Income is the net lease giant

Last up here is Realty Income, which has a roughly 5.4% dividend yield right now. The company has increased its dividend annually for three decades at a slow and steady pace of 4.2%, annualized. That's about what you should expect over the long term from this large net lease real estate investment trust (REIT), which is basically built from the ground up to be a reliable dividend stock.

A net lease requires the tenant to pay most property-level expenses, freeing Realty Income from the cost and hassle of maintaining its properties. That said, it is the largest competitor in its niche, with over 15,600 properties, exposure to retail and industrial assets, among others, and a portfolio that spans the United States and Europe. Add in an investment grade rated balance sheet, and Realty Income has proven that it can live up to its trademarked nickname, "The Monthly Dividend Company."

Unlike the other two stocks here, Realty Income doesn't come with any near-term caveats. It's just a reliable, high-yield stock that even the most conservative income investors should probably consider buying today.

Don't get discouraged by the market's yield

The S&P 500 index is the de facto market measure, but markets are made up of many different businesses. If you dig beneath the surface of the market with a focus on dividend yield, you will find plenty of attractive income opportunities. Some of the most interesting ones today include Kenvue, General Mills, and Realty Income. Take the time to get to know these three stocks, and you may find you want to add one, or more, to your portfolio today.

Reuben Gregg Brewer has positions in General Mills and Realty Income. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Kenvue and Realty Income. The Motley Fool recommends Johnson & Johnson and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $13 calls on Kenvue. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.