You can capture these benefits through dividend-focused ETFs like the Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (NYSEARCA: VYM). Year to date, as of this writing, it’s outperforming the S&P 500. Since the year began, the S&P 500 is down 3%, compared to the year-to-date 3% returns of the VYM ETF. It also remains one of the best ways to trade dividend growth.  

With an expense ratio of 0.04%, the VYM ETF tracks the performance of the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index, and currently holds 562 stocks, including Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO), JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM), Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM), Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT), and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ).

The VYM ETF also carries a yield of 2.29% and pays a quarterly dividend. On December 23, 2025, it paid a dividend of just over 94 cents. On September 23, it paid out just over 84 cents. And on June 24, it paid out just over 86 cents a share.

Two other high-yield dividend stocks to consider are:

Buy-and-Hold Dividend Stocks: Realty Income

Known as “The Monthly Dividend Company,” Realty Income (NYSE: O) yields about 5%.  It also just increased in its monthly cash dividend to $0.2705 per share from $0.270 per share. The dividend is payable on April 15, 2026, to stockholders of record as of March 31, 2026. The new monthly dividend represents an annualized dividend amount of $3.246 per share as compared to the prior annualized dividend amount of $3.240 per share.

Making it even more attractive, Realty Income is one of the biggest lease real estate investment trusts (REITs) you can buy. It also owns more than 15,600 properties, with a vast majority of those in the retail sector. In fact, some of its biggest tenants include 7-Eleven, Dollar General (NYSE: DG), Walgreen’s, Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ: WYNN), FedEx (NYSE: FDX), BJ’s Wholesale Club (NYSE: BJ), CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), and Tractor Supply (NASDAQ: TSCO).

Buy-and-Hold Dividend Stocks: Verizon

With a yield of about 5.6%, Verizon (NYSE: VZ) is another hot, high-yielding dividend stock to buy and forget about for a while. It also declared a dividend of $0.7075, a 2.5% increase from its prior dividend of $0.69. It’s payable on May 1 to shareholders of record as of April 10.

Recent earnings and guidance were also solid. For the fourth quarter, EPS of $1.09 beat by three cents. Revenue of $36.4 billion, up 2.4% year over year, beat by $200 million. In the quarter, the company also saw total postpaid phone net additions of 616,000, up 22% and ahead of estimates of 420,491. For 2026, Verizon expects total retail postpaid phone net additions of 750,000 to a million and adjusted EPS of $4.90 to $4.95, or growth of 4% to 5%.

Analysts at Raymond James raised their price target on Verizon to $56 from $50, maintaining an outperform rating. Analysts at Scotiabank also upgraded Verizon to sector outperform from sector perform, with a price target of $54.50 per share, up from $50.25, citing cost-cutting.

Avoiding Yield Traps While Locking in Reliable Income

High yields can be attractive, but not all dividends are safe. Some dividend stocks become yield traps when prices fall on weak outlooks. That’s why quality matters just as much as yield.

Funds like VYM focus on financially sound dividend payers. Likewise, Realty Income and Verizon offer durable cash flows. Both companies support payouts with stable, predictable business models.

This balance helps investors avoid chasing unsustainable income.
Instead, they can focus on consistency and long-term returns. In volatile markets, that approach can make a critical difference. Reliable dividends plus stability often outperform over time. For investors seeking income and downside protection, these dividend stocks stand out as smart, disciplined choices.

However, as any investor holding pharmacy and flu-related, coughing-and-sniffling remedy stocks will tell you, it can be one of the most predictable seasonal opportunities of the year.

The flu is more than a public health issue. It’s a recurring demand driver for consumer staples, pharmacies, and healthcare providers. Every year, rising infection rates lead to higher spending on disinfectants, over-the-counter remedies, prescriptions, and in-store clinic visits. That makes flu season an underappreciated tailwind for certain defensive, dividend-paying stocks.

For the 2023-2024 season, the CDC estimated 40 million illnesses, 470,000 hospitalizations, and 28,000 deaths. For the 2024-2025 season, the CDC estimated 9.3 million to 41 million illnesses, 120,000 to 710,000 hospitalizations, and 6,300 to 52,000 deaths. 

For the 2025-2026 season, cases are mounting.

According to ABC News, the CDC estimates there have been at least 7.5 million illnesses, 81,000 hospitalizations, and 3,100 deaths from flu so far this season. At least 20 states are reporting “very high” respiratory illness activity, spanning much of the Midwest, Northeast, and South.

That backdrop creates a compelling case for investors looking to add defensive exposure with income. Two stocks that stand out heading into peak flu season are The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) and CVS Health Corp. (NYSE: CVS).

Clorox (CLX): A Defensive Dividend Stock With Seasonal Tailwinds

Clorox is best known for its namesake disinfecting wipes and bleach products, but the company’s portfolio extends far beyond cleaning. Brands like Pine-Sol, Burt’s Bees, Glad, Hidden Valley, Kingsford, and Brita give Clorox broad exposure to everyday consumer spending.

During flu season, however, Clorox’s cleaning and disinfecting products take center stage. Heightened awareness around germs typically leads to increased household and institutional spending on wipes, sprays, and surface cleaners—categories where Clorox commands strong brand loyalty and pricing power.

From an income perspective, CLX is particularly compelling right now. Shares currently offer a dividend yield of approximately 4.9%, well above the company’s long-term average. That yield reflects not just generous shareholder returns, but also how far the stock has fallen.

At around $101 per share, Clorox stock is deeply oversold relative to historical levels. Inflation-driven cost pressures and execution issues hurt sentiment over the last two years, but margins have begun to stabilize as pricing actions take hold and input costs moderate.

Seasonality is another factor working in Clorox’s favor. Going back to 2021, CLX has frequently rallied during the fall and early winter months:

• 2022: CLX climbed from roughly $141 in October to over $158
• 2023: Shares ran from about $114 to $146
• 2024: CLX advanced from around $153 to $163

The 2025 seasonal rally failed to materialize, leaving the stock lagging its typical pattern. That deviation may actually create opportunity, particularly if investors rotate into defensive names as economic uncertainty persists.

For long-term investors, Clorox offers a blend of recession resistance, seasonal demand, and income stability. While it may not be a high-growth stock, CLX fits well for portfolios seeking yield and downside protection during volatile markets.

CVS Health (CVS): Flu Season Drives Foot Traffic and Cash Flow

CVS Health offers a different—but equally compelling—way to play flu season. As one of the largest pharmacy operators in the U.S., CVS sits at the intersection of prescriptions, vaccinations, clinics, and health insurance.

Flu season directly boosts CVS’s core pharmacy business. Increased demand for flu shots, COVID boosters, antiviral prescriptions, and over-the-counter medications drives higher store traffic. That foot traffic often leads to incremental purchases across front-of-store items, improving overall revenue per visit.

CVS’s MinuteClinic and HealthHUB locations further amplify this effect. These in-store clinics make CVS a convenient destination for flu testing, vaccinations, and basic care. Those services are in high demand during peak respiratory illness season.

Despite these structural advantages, CVS stock has been under pressure. Concerns around reimbursement rates, integration of acquisitions, and healthcare cost trends have weighed on shares. However, that pessimism may be overdone.

At current levels, CVS trades at a single-digit forward earnings multiple and offers a dividend yield north of 4%. Management has reiterated its commitment to the dividend, supported by strong operating cash flow from its pharmacy benefits management (PBM) and insurance segments.

From a seasonal standpoint, CVS has historically performed well heading into and during flu season as investors anticipate higher prescription volumes and clinic utilization. While CVS isn’t a pure seasonal trade, flu season acts as a reliable catalyst that highlights the company’s recurring revenue model.

For investors willing to tolerate near-term headlines, CVS offers a combination of value, income, and healthcare defensiveness that’s hard to ignore.

Bottom Line: Flu Season Stocks Can Offer Defensive Growth and Income

Flu season may be miserable for consumers, but it often creates predictable demand for certain healthcare and consumer staple companies. That demand can translate into stronger revenues, steadier cash flow, and more resilient stock performance during uncertain markets.

Clorox provides exposure to household cleaning essentials with a historically high dividend yield and seasonal upside potential. CVS Health offers a broader healthcare platform that benefits from increased prescriptions, vaccinations, and clinic visits as flu cases rise.

For investors looking to add defensive, dividend-paying stocks to their portfolios, flu season could be the right time to act—and these two stocks may offer the right prescription.