Aside from the dividend payments, high-dividend stocks aren't any different from stocks that don't pay dividends. There isn't a special type of stock that's a "high-dividend stock." They're all stocks, and some pay dividends more frequently or in greater amounts than others. In general, high-dividend stocks are large, stable companies, as opposed to small, rapidly growing "growth stocks." Since big companies are less likely to experience rapid growth, they may need to offer dividends in order to entice investors away from growth stocks.