By Justin Pope of The Motley Fool, dividend investing may suit investors who want income from holding stocks. According to Sina Finance, the article says the best way to find quality dividend stocks is to follow the cash flow.

Realty Income, The Home Depot, and Philip Morris International are described as three companies investors can hold for the long term. Realty Income pays monthly dividends and has raised its dividend for more than 31 consecutive years; based on 2026 guidance for operating cash flow, its payout ratio is 73%, and its dividend yield is above 5.1%.

The Home Depot operates in the U.S. housing market, which the article says is worth more than $55 trillion. It has raised its dividend for 17 consecutive years, with dividends using 64% of corporate cash flow, and its current dividend yield is 2.7%.

Philip Morris International sells Marlboro cigarettes outside the United States and owns smoke-free products including IQOS and Zyn. The article says the company has paid and raised its dividend every year since its 2008 spin-off from Altria Group, with a dividend yield of 3.1% and a payout ratio of about 71% of cash flow.