It's not just the banks that provide Australian investors with above-average dividend yields.
The healthcare shares listed below all provide generous dividends that I think income investors should consider today. Here's why:
1300 Smiles Limited (ASX: ONT)
Conditions in the dental industry have been weak of late and have unfortunately weighed heavily on this dental service provider's performance. But thankfully management appears to be optimistic that conditions will improve in the near future. This could make it an opportune time to snap up the company's shares and the trailing fully franked 3.6% dividend they provide.
Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ASX: API)
As this pharmacy chain operator and distributor is due to release its full-year results later this month, it may be prudent to hold off an investment until the announcement. Should management reveal that retail conditions have improved, then I think it would be a great option for investors. Especially as its shares are changing hands at just 13x estimated full-year earnings and provide a trailing fully franked 4.7% dividend.
Japara Healthcare Ltd (ASX: JHC)
Australia's population is ageing and this aged care provider is in a great position to profit from it. Management intends to expand its capacity substantially over the next few years in order to capture the growing demand for aged care services. Although it had a reasonably weak FY 2017, I expect in the long-term the sheer demand for its rooms will enable it to grow earnings and its dividend at an above-average rate. Currently its shares provide a trailing fully franked 6.3% dividend.
