<div id="readability-page-1"><div> <h2>Key Points</h2><ul><li>Perrigo sports a forward dividend yield nearing 10%, but this high yield is highly reflective of high uncertainty over the company's future performance.</li><li>Despite a mixed dividend growth track record, an ongoing catalyst may make Healthpeak Properties appealing to investors focused on capital growth.</li><li>Medical Properties Trust still gives off yield-trap vibes, even as the troubled hospital REIT's results stabilize.</li><li>10 stocks we like better than Perrigo Plc ›</li></ul>The healthcare sector may have defensive and recession-resistant qualities, but it admittedly doesn't have many high-yielding stocks. Among U.S.-listed healthcare stocks with market caps of more than $300 million, just a handful have a forward dividend yield of more than 5%.However, if you extend the definition of &#34;healthcare stocks&#34; to some adjacent sectors, such as healthcare-focused real estate investment trusts (REITs), more options emerge. While dividend investors have quite a few choices, there may be some caveats with the following healthcare stocks: Perrigo (NYSE: PRGO), Healthpeak Properties (NYSE: DOC), and Medical Properties Trust (NYSE: MPT).Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an &#34;Indispensable Monopoly&#34; providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »<img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://g.foolcdn.com/image//query-dXJsPWh0dHBzOi8vZy5mb29sY2RuLmNvbS9lZGl0b3JpYWwvaW1hZ2VzLzg2NDgzMS9maW5hbmNpYWwtaGVhbHRoLXN0ZXRob3Njb3BlLW1vbmV5LWNhc2gtaHVuZHJlZC1iaWxscy1tZWRpY2FsLWhlYWx0aGNhcmUtMTIwMHg4MDMtMzc0MDNiNi5qcGcmdz03MDA?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="700" height="468" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://g.foolcdn.com/image//query-dXJsPWh0dHBzOi8vZy5mb29sY2RuLmNvbS9lZGl0b3JpYWwvaW1hZ2VzLzg2NDgzMS9maW5hbmNpYWwtaGVhbHRoLXN0ZXRob3Njb3BlLW1vbmV5LWNhc2gtaHVuZHJlZC1iaWxscy1tZWRpY2FsLWhlYWx0aGNhcmUtMTIwMHg4MDMtMzc0MDNiNi5qcGcmdz03MDA"/>Image source: Getty Images. <h2>Perrigo's high yield comes with high uncertainty</h2>Headquartered in Ireland, but operating worldwide, Perrigo is in the over-the-counter health and wellness products space. The company makes and sells branded products as well as private-label products for third-party retailers. On paper, Perrigo may seem like a golden opportunity among high-yield dividend stocks, mostly due to its high 9.6% forward yield, plus its 23-year track record of consecutive annual dividend increases.Annual dividend growth has also averaged over 5% for the past five years. However, strip away these appealing features, and you can see why Perrigo is such a bargain.In recent years, Perrigo has experienced a growth slowdown. Factors such as high inflation and rising interest expenses have also put pressure on profitability. The stock has dropped over 87.5% over the past decade while the dividend has kept growing, turning Perrigo into an accidental high-yielder -- and a stock generally regarded as a value trap.But there may be merit in this undervalued stock, which trades for only 5.5 times forward earnings. Shares have inched higher recently on takeover rumors. Even if a takeover is not in the cards, any news of a turnaround could be well received by the market, especially by those hopeful that Perrigo will continue its long-standing dividend growth streak.<h2>Healthpeak Properties' restructuring could be what the doctor ordered</h2>One of the largest healthcare real estate investment trusts (REITs), Healthpeak Properties owns over 700 healthcare-related properties throughout the U.S. Its portfolio primarily focuses on outpatient healthcare facilities, but the REIT also owns other property types, including medical labs and senior housing.At current prices, Healthpeak has a forward dividend yield of 7.1%, making it one of the high-dividend REITs. It is also a monthly dividend stock. While Healthpeak has a spotty dividend-growth track record, an ongoing catalyst may be of interest to investors focused on capital growth.Earlier this year, the REIT formed a new entity, Janus Living, for its senior housing assets. Janus went public in March in a nearly $1 billion IPO. Healthpeak continues to hold a majority stake in Janus.Having Janus be a publicly traded subsidiary could help underscore the REIT's underlying value relative to its share price. Due to the REIT's past ownership of various types of healthcare real estate, it's possible the market previously applied a &#34;conglomerate discount&#34; to its shares relative to more pure-play healthcare REITs.While it's unclear whether the restructuring will lead to more consistent dividend growth, considering the upside potential, this restructuring may just well be what the doctor ordered.<h2>Despite stabilizing results, Medical Properties Trust still gives yield trap vibes</h2>Medical Properties Trust is yet another high-yielder with a lot of fleas. Currently, this hospital REIT has a forward dividend yield of around 6.8%. However, during 2023 and 2024, it reduced its quarterly cash dividend twice -- first from $0.29 to $0.15 per share, and then from $0.15 to just $0.08 per share.The key reason for this nearly 75% dividend cut was issues related to the REIT's largest tenants, namely the 2024 bankruptcy of Steward Health Care. Shares have stabilized since then. Medical Properties Trust has even recently raised its quarterly dividend to $0.09 per share.However, tenant-related troubles persist. For instance, key tenants, including those who took over leases from Steward, are facing financial challenges. The REIT also has looming debt maturities, including over $2 billion in outstanding debt that comes due in 2027.Nevertheless, it's not as if this REIT is destined to further flounder. As noted in Medical Properties Trust's latest quarterly results, normalized funds from operations, a metric commonly used to analyze REIT cash flow, came out to $0.18 per share last quarter . While not guaranteed, this suggests that, for now, this healthcare REIT can sustain its current dividend.<h2>Should you buy stock in Perrigo Plc right now?</h2> Before you buy stock in Perrigo Plc, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Perrigo Plc wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $492,752!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,327,935!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 991% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 201% for the S&amp;P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of April 29, 2026. Thomas Niel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Healthpeak Properties. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. </div></div>

PRGO

The healthcare sector has limited high-yield stocks, but three notable options include Perrigo, Healthpeak Properties, and Medical Properties Trust. Perrigo offers a forward dividend yield of 9.6%, though it faces growth challenges and is seen as a potential value trap. Healthpeak Properties, with a 7.1% yield, is undergoing restructuring that may enhance its value. Medical Properties Trust has a 6.8% yield but has cut dividends due to tenant issues, raising concerns about its stability. Investors should weigh the potential risks and rewards of these stocks carefully.

3 Healthcare Stocks Paying the Highest Dividends in the Sector Right Now