Chevron (CVX -0.33%) and Hewlett-Packard (HPQ 0.18%) both have equally illustrious histories, but that doesn't mean income-seeking investors shouldn't prefer one of these stocks over the other.

There are three metrics in particular that rise above the rest when it comes to dividend stocks: dividend yield, growth rate, and the payout ratio. How companies such as Chevron and HP stack up with regard to these metrics goes a long way toward helping income-seeking investors choose which one is best for their portfolio.

The following slideshow does the work for you by cycling through these variables insofar as Chevron and HP are concerned. To see which of these stocks prevailed over the other, simply scroll through the seven slides.