Value stocks right now are generally out of favor as the big Wall Street money has been flowing toward and into hot tech and social media names.

Dividend stocks can be a great way to boost your portfolio's growth potential or provide a form of passive income over the years. While not all dividend stocks are the same, finding great companies that can stand the test of time can enable you to magnify your returns through market ups and downs.

The same is true for stocks. Consider that global icon Apple Inc. (ticker: AAPL) yields a mere 0.4%, despite having roughly $100 billion in net income and one of the most entrenched brands in the planet. That's because it's easy to maintain a nominal dividend, but much harder to drive a huge yield – even for titans like Apple.

Verizon is a telecommunications powerhouse renowned for its consistent dividend payments. As of January 21, 2025, its stock trades at $39.34, offering a yield of approximately 7%. Its robust cash flow and strong market position make it a go-to for income-focused investors.

The big reason why a dividend growth investor would want to buy PepsiCo today is that its yield is near historical highs at roughly 3.6%. This suggests that Wall Street has placed the company on the deep discount rack. This is a view that's backed up by the stock's price-to-sales and price-to-earnings ratios being below their five-year averages.