I have invested in dividends for 7 years—These income machines pay me every quarter like clockwork

I have been dividend investing for seven years, and since I have a longer timeframe before considering retirement, I prioritize dividend growth stocks. These stocks pay out dividends each quarter and grow their payouts faster than the average company. 

It’s the high dividend growth rate and impressive long-term returns that make dividend growth stocks appealing. These are some of the income machines that are boosting my cash flow and powering high long-term returns.

Broadcom (AVGO)

Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO | AVGO Price Prediction) is one of the top beneficiaries of the AI boom. Its chips have been flying off the shelves, and its stock price  has soared to orbit. Shares are up by more than 700% over the past five years, and even with those gains, the stock still has a decent 0.80% yield.

The tech giant is still growing at a fast pace. Revenue increased by 25% year-over-year in Q1 FY25. Net income more than tripled year-over-year as well. The high net income growth rate is critical for Broadcom’s dividend. As earnings grow, a corporation has more flexibility to hike dividends in the future. Broadcom has been excellent with dividend hikes and typically raises its dividend by more than 10% each year. The tech giant has an annualized dividend growth rate of 13.2% over the past five years. 

Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL)

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL) is a newcomer to the dividend game. The company issued its first dividend in 2024, and its yield currently sits at around 0.40%. Alphabet has been steadily growing its online ads segment, but Google Cloud is the main catalyst for future growth opportunities. Artificial intelligence and Waymo are two additional opportunities that can produce elevated growth rates in the future.

Shares are up by 12% year-to-date and have gained more than 160% over the past five years while trading at a reasonable 23 P/E ratio. Revenue increased by 14% year-over-year in the second quarter, while net income jumped by 19% year-over-year. 

Apple (AAPL)

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is the final stock on this list. The company has a line-up of some of the best tech products available, such as the iPhone and MacBook Pro. The company combines top-tier tech with a luxury brand appeal that generates billions of dollars in profits every quarter.

Apple is only up by 4% over the past year, but it has almost doubled over the past five years, demonstrating how things can change once Apple gets momentum. The company’s investments in artificial intelligence can spark the next growth catalyst. Its earnings are also on the upswing. Revenue increased by 10% year-over-year in Q3 FY25, while net income was up by 9% year-over-year. Services revenue reached an all-time high, and if that segment continues to deliver, Apple may continue to see accelerated financial growth.