This is the Stock I’m Retiring On: It’s Already Up 40% Since 2017 Sheryar Siddiq Mon, November 9, 2026 at 1:23 PM EST 4 min read VICI +1.75% ^GSPC +2.39% Trade VICI on Coinbase Trading disclosure Trading disclosure The above button links to Coinbase. Yahoo Finance is not a broker-dealer or investment adviser and does not offer securities or cryptocurrencies for sale or facilitate trading. Coinbase pays us for certain activity generated through this link. Prices displayed are informational.
We just published our list of the 10 Stocks I Am Retiring On, and VICI Properties Inc. (NYSE:VICI) ranked 7th on the list.
A retirement portfolio needs businesses that can keep rewarding shareholders long after the current market narrative fades. Dividends show how important those quieter sources of return can be: according to S&P Dow Jones Indices research cited in our coverage of Dividend Aristocrat stocks, dividends have accounted for roughly 31% of the S&P 500's total return since 1926, with capital appreciation accounting for the remaining 69%. In the 1940s and 1970s, dividend income accounted for more than half of total returns. The lesson is not that every retirement investment must pay dividends, but rather that long-term shareholder gains can come from sources other than rising share prices.
Warren Buffett offers a useful test for that level of dedication. He has advised investors to buy only what they would "perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years." Rather than relying on the potential to sell tomorrow, investors should consider how much the underlying business may make over a decade. That business-owner perspective is the common thread running through Insider Monkey's discussion of Warren Buffett's best long-term stocks to buy.
For retirement investors, the distinction between a high starting dividend and an increasing dividend is crucial. The S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats index requires components to have increased dividends for at least 25 years in a row. This is a record that spans numerous economic cycles, though it doesn't guarantee future growth. Insider Monkey's analysis of dividend growth stocks to buy and hold in 2026 looked at 68 such companies and evaluated their five-year average dividend growth rates.
Of course, financial strength is just as important as payout record. A dividend competes with debt repayments, capital spending, and other financial requirements. Liabilities are broader than debt, but the comparison shows the type of liquidity cushion worth considering alongside dividend yield.
VICI Properties made the list due to the fact The Motley Fool's Matt DiLallo stated that he was buying it for his retirement account, and Seeking Alpha's Leo Nelissen listed it as one of four stocks on which he would bet his retirement. Its short interest was 2.90%, and 51 hedge funds owned shares in Q2 2026, putting it seventh in our rankings.
VICI Properties Inc. owns casino and experience properties under long-term triple-net leases. The company's third-quarter AFFO increased 4.3% to $0.62 per share, with guidance raised to $2.47 to $2.48. The stock yields 7.3% on its $1.84 annual dividend, which was increased for the ninth straight year and is covered by approximately 75% of AFFO. The board also authorized a $2 billion buyback, a sign management sees the shares as cheap.
VICI is a stock that DiLallo has expressly linked to his retirement plans. In February 2025, he stated why he continued to buy it in his retirement account, claiming that its consistent rental income and ability to increase dividends may help him grow his retirement savings. The premise is not a bet on casino operator quarterly winnings, but rather an investment in the properties' long-term rental obligations.
That said, GAAP results appear to be less favorable than cash flow. Net income per share declined to $0.31 from $0.71, owing to a non-cash credit loss allowance, missing the $0.72 average. Growth is moderate, at around 4%, and the portfolio is reliant on a limited number of casino operators, though the new Highfield tenant offers diversity. For retirement investors, the question is whether modest AFFO growth and dividend coverage effectively compensate for tenant concentration and financing risk, the trade-off behind Insider Monkey's assessment of whether VICI's dividend is a decent return for the risks.
While we acknowledge the potential of VICI as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.
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