A dividend is only as safe as the profits and balance sheet behind it. A low payout ratio leaves room to keep paying through a bad year, and low debt means lenders do not come first. This screen lists stocks on European exchanges yielding more than 3% with a payout ratio below 60%, positive earnings and a debt-to-equity ratio below 1, highest yield first. Prices are in euros, and the list covers stocks traded on Xetra, Euronext Paris, Euronext Amsterdam, Euronext Milan and the Madrid Stock Exchange with at least 0.5 million euros in average daily trading value.
