Better Dividend Stock: American Express vs. Costco

There are few businesses in the United States that are as shrewdly managed as American Express and Costco . But while both have proven to be long-term winners in terms of total shareholder returns, the dynamics of their quarterly dividends are far from similar.

I address this in the slideshow below, which compares how shares of American Express and Costco compare to each other based on the three most important dividend metrics: dividend yield, growth, and the payout ratio. These are both excellent stocks, but as you'll see, one is a clear winner over the other when it comes to dividends.

To learn more about these metrics and to see how American Express and Costco stack up with respect to them, simply scroll through the brief slideshow below.

The article Better Dividend Stock: American Express vs. Costco originally appeared on Fool.com.

John Maxfield has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool recommends American Express. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.