3 High-Yield Dividend Stocks to Buy That Are Near 52-Week Lows

The S&P 500 (^GSPC) may be hitting new highs in 2026, but for many high-yield dividend stocks, the story has not been so rosy. Numerous stocks with long track records of dividend growth recently hit new 52-week lows.

Although some of these names sank for good reasons and may represent value traps or yield traps, in a few situations, the market has clearly overreacted.

That’s the case with the following dividend stocks: Comcast (CMCSA), General Mills (GIS), and Vici Properties (VICI).

Comcast could surge as it pivots back to its core business
Comcast started as a cable and telecommunications company, but over the past few decades, it has evolved into one of the top media conglomerates through its acquisition of NBCUniversal. However, in more recent years, it has begun divesting assets, starting with the spinoff of several cable television networks as Versant Media Group.

Now, Comcast is spinning off the rest of its media assets, including NBC, the Peacock streaming service, and the European pay-television company Sky, as a separate entity. Post-split, Comcast will become a telecom pure play again. Although there are some concerns about Comcast’s declining broadband business, analysts remain bullish that the split will create substantial shareholder value, with Deutsche Bank analysts arguing in June that the “value unlock” could create upside of around 30%.

Investors buying into Comcast today can collect a dividend that, at the current share price, has a yield of just over 5%. The company has an 18-year dividend-hiking streak, with annualized payout growth averaging around 7.5% over the past five years.

With General Mills, collect a 6.3% yield while the turnaround takes shape
At the current share price, General Mills’ dividend has a forward yield of around 6.3%. Shares are also inching higher after hitting a new 52-week low. Because it’s a consumer staples stock, you might view it as a defensive investment, but in today’s environment, branded food companies are struggling to compete with private label brands amid high inflation. The rising popularity of GLP-1 weight loss drugs has also cut into demand for processed foods.

Still, while such a negative backdrop may leave many concerned about General Mills’ dividend growth prospects, especially as its payout ratio hits nearly 76%, another factor suggests that the company can build on its six consecutive years of dividend growth.

General Mills is in the midst of a turnaround, targeting $3 billion in operating cost reductions between now and 2030, with projected cost savings of $750 million for the fiscal year ending in May 2027 alone. If the restructuring is successful, it could spark renewed earnings growth and a further rebound in the stock price.

Past events counter tenant default fears with Vici Properties
Vici Properties, a real estate investment trust (REIT), has recently hit a new 52-week low. Concerns about declining tourism to Las Vegas have raised questions about its properties, which are concentrated on the Las Vegas Strip.

However, based on Vici’s latest results, it’s still prospering. Last quarter, revenue and adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) increased by 5.7% and 7.8%, respectively.

Vici’s tenants have never defaulted, not even during the pandemic lockdowns. This suggests low rent default risk even if the Vegas slump continues. Vici Properties shares currently have a forward yield of nearly 7%. In recent years, annual dividend growth has averaged in the mid-single-digit percentages.

— Thomas Niel

Source: The Motley Fool