Investors are still getting used to thinking of Apple (AAPL 0.52%) as a dividend stock. After all, it was less than two years ago when Apple first initiated its dividend. But just because Apple's dividend is new doesn't mean investors looking for a solid stream of income for their portfolio shouldn't consider Apple. In fact, Apple could be among the best dividend stocks in the market.
Dividend investors ultimately evaluate dividend stocks on four criteria: dividend history, dividend yield, company profitability, and dividend growth prospects. While Apple certainly doesn't hold up very well on the first criterion, it measures up well on one of them and excellent on two.
In the video below, Fool contributor Daniel Sparks explains why, overall, Apple is a great dividend stock for investors with a Foolishly long-term time horizon.
