With fresh warning signs about the economy top of mind for many investors, it's understandable that many are turning toward more defensive plays. Some forecasts have shown gold continuing to skyrocket, for example, driving investors to seek safe havens in case trust in the Fed should fall. Another increasingly appealing option may be dividend stocks, which tend to be established, non-flashy companies with solid operations and stability.
The dividend landscape is larger than many investors may realize, and names outside of the most popular dividend plays—The Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) or Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), for example—are worth considering.
