One of the most popular options on the Australian share market for income investors is the Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) dividend.
And while I do like the telco giant as a company, I'm concerned that it may struggle to maintain its dividend over the coming years due to margin pressures and the gap in earnings expected after the NBN rollout completes.
In light of this, I would suggest that income investors consider these three dividend shares instead of the Telstra dividend:
Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR)
Dicker Data is an ICT distributor specialising in servicing the mid-market and SMB communities with specific focus on presales capabilities, value added services, and emerging hybrid end to end technology solutions. I think it could be a great alternative to Telstra due to its robust and growing business, its generous yield, and high levels of insider ownership. This year the company expects to increase its dividend to 18 cents per share, equating to a fully franked yield of 6.4%.
National Storage REIT (ASX: NSR)
This leading storage provider could be another great option for income investors. Due to its high occupancy levels, the increasing demand for its services, and growth through acquisition strategy, I believe the trust is well positioned to continue growing its earnings and increasing its distribution over the next few years. At present its units provide an above-average trailing 5.2% distribution yield.
Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)
This agriculture-focused real estate property trust owns a diverse portfolio of properties across different geographies and sectors. Thanks to its properties boasting long-term tenancy agreements and rental indexation, I believe it is in a position to continue increasing its distribution for the foreseeable future. This year the Rural Funds board intends to lift its distribution to 10.43 cents per unit, meaning its units currently offer a forward 4.7% yield.
