While interest rates look set to remain at their lows for some time yet, investors are of course going to continue searching for high-yielding dividend stocks.
Compared to some of the more traditional dividend plays, like Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS), BHP Billiton Limited (ASX: BHP) certainly presents as an attractive option going forward.
For starters, it has actually underperformed the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) over the last few years, which makes it seem like a better buy today given the miner is maintaining a heavy focus on reducing costs and improving productivity going forward.
The other reason BHP Billiton could start turning heads is its forecast 3.3% fully franked dividend yield. Grossed up, that's a 4.8% dividend, which certainly beats the returns from term deposits and various other ASX stocks.
BHP Billiton has risen 7.4% this month and is now trading at $38.55. It is still sitting 3.1% below its 52-week high achieved in February.