More and more S&P 500 companies are turning into dividend stocks , as yield-producing investments are becoming the hottest attraction in 2013. Collective dividends per share for Standard & Poor's 500 companies increased roughly 16% year-over-year in 2012. Meanwhile, the number of companies paying a dividend over that period reached a new 13-year high of 405, or roughly 81% of the S&P 500, data from Factset shows. Some 60% of these dividend stocks yield more than the 10-year Treasury, according to BlackRock. Yield-starved investors have flocked to these equities in this ZIRP (zero interest rate policy) environment. More companies are embracing the shift and have implemented, increased or paid special dividends as a way to appease shareholders and attract new capital. To continue reading, please click here...