10 Extreme Dividend Stocks to Invest in Now

3. AGNC Investment Corp. (NASDAQ:AGNC)

Dividend Yield as of January 23: 14.83%

An American real estate investment trust company, AGNC Investment Corp. (NASDAQ:AGNC) mainly invests in mortgage-backed securities, which function similarly to bonds. Unlike property-owning REITs, which are relatively straightforward and comparable to managing a rental property on a larger scale, AGNC deals in securities that are traded throughout the day. These investments are influenced by interest rate fluctuations and property market factors, such as housing demand and loan repayment rates.

Despite the associated risks, AGNC Investment Corp. (NASDAQ:AGNC) remains a strong investment option. Unlike traditional REITs that own and lease properties, this mortgage REIT focuses on investing in mortgage-backed securities, functioning somewhat like a mutual fund. The company’s value is directly linked to the performance of its mortgage securities portfolio. As of June 30, 2024, AGNC’s investment portfolio was valued at $66.0 billion, consisting of $59.7 billion in Agency MBS, $5.3 billion in net forward purchases or sales of Agency MBS in the “to-be-announced” market, and $1.0 billion in credit risk transfer (CRT) and non-Agency securities, along with other mortgage credit investments.

AGNC Investment Corp. (NASDAQ:AGNC), one of the best dividend stocks, pays monthly dividends to shareholders. The company has never missed a dividend since its IPO in 2008 and shifted to a monthly dividend policy in 2014. Since it went public, the company has distributed $13.4 billion to shareholders through dividends. Currently, it offers a monthly dividend of $0.12 per share and has a dividend yield of 14.83%, as of January 23.

The number of hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey owning stakes in AGNC Investment Corp. (NASDAQ:AGNC) grew to 24 in Q3 2024, from 19 in the previous quarter. These stakes have a total value of more than $230.3 million.