The Smartest Dividend Stock to Buy With $1,000 Right Now

From an analytical perspective, If you are a dividend investor looking to maximize the income your portfolio generates, you will want to do a deep dive on Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT -1

The dividend stock won't be right for every income investor, but for a select few it could be the smartest dividend stock to buy right now (which is quite significant)

Additionally, What makes a dividend stock attractive (this bears monitoring), given the current landscape

One of the first things that income investors look for is dividend yield

Universal Health Realty Income Trust has that factor pegged, with a huge 7

But some reference points will help

Nevertheless, Image source: Getty Images

The evidence shows average healthcare stock has a yield of 1, given the current landscape

However, And the average real estate investment trust (REIT) has a yield of roughly 4

Very ly, Universal Health Realty is more attractive on the yield front, in this volatile climate

But yield has to be considered along with reliability

Next up is Becton, Dickinson (BDX 0

Those two companies are Dividend Kings, an elite that Universal Health Realty simply can't claim

That said, Johnson & Johnson's yield is 3

Universal Health Realty's dividend has been hiked annually for four decades

That's a pretty good streak, even though it isn't yet a Dividend King, when you add in the real estate investment trust's huge yield

Moreover, Data by YCharts

Universal Health Realty Trust is for income right now So a lofty yield and a strong dividend history make Universal Health Realty Trust attractive

It's extra attractive right now because the yield is near the highest levels of the past decade, suggesting the stock is on the sale rack, amid market uncertainty

But there's just one small blem: Dividend growth has never been a big selling point here, in this volatile climate

However, Meanwhile, As the chart above highlights, both JNJ's and Becton, Dickinson's dividend growth has been far superior to that of Universal Health Realty Trust

On the other hand, Additionally, The goal for Universal Health Realty Trust isn't rapid dividend growth, it is reliable growth

Additionally, It's a slow and steady tortoise, and that is ly all it will ever be

Nevertheless, Furthermore, And that brings up the second big issue that investors need to know

Universal Health Realty Trust is externally managed by Universal Health Services (UHS 0

There are very issues with conflicts of interest that have to be considered

Conversely, However, the 40-year track record of slow and steady dividend growth is an indication of what Universal Health Services is doing here, given the current landscape

More attractive than it was, not for all, but smart for some The interesting thing here is that prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Universal Health Realty's dividend yield was a tiny 2

Moreover, At that point, investors were way too optimistic the REIT given the tortoise- nature of the dividend, in today's market environment

Moreover, It won't be right for every dividend investor, given the management structure and that tortoise- dividend growth

For dividend growth investors, JNJ or Becton, Dickinson will be more appriate