Is AGNC Investment the Right Dividend Stock for You? Here's a Better Question to Ask.

Group 1 - AGNC Investment offers a high dividend yield of 17%, significantly higher than the S&P 500's yield of approximately 1.3% and the average REIT yield of 4% [1] - AGNC Investment operates as a mortgage REIT, purchasing mortgages pooled into bond-like assets, differing from property-owning REITs that manage physical properties [2] - The company's focus is on total return rather than consistent and growing dividends, which may not meet the expectations of dividend-focused investors [3][5] Group 2 - AGNC Investment's dividend has been declining for over a decade, leading to reduced capital and income for investors who rely on these payouts [5] - Alternative investment options for dividend-focused investors include Realty Income, NNN REIT, and Federal Realty, which have reliable dividend growth and lower yields around 4.7% to 5.7% [6][7] - Midstream companies like Enterprise Products Partners and Enbridge also present attractive dividend options, with yields of 6.9% and 5.7% respectively, and a history of consistent dividend increases [8][9] Group 3 - Investors seeking reliable and growing dividends should consider stepping down from high yields like AGNC Investment to more stable dividend growers [10]