10 Dividend Stocks With Yields Up to 10%

BOSTON (TheStreet) -- Dividends are crucial to beating stock-market benchmarks and achieving a higher return than that offered by bonds. Dow stocks such as Johnson & Johnson(JNJ) offer larger payouts than Treasuries do. Still, Dow components are no match for the highest-yielding U.S. stocks, which are listed below. (Excluded are REITs and MLPs.)

10. Duke Energy(DUK) is an electric utility. Since 2007, it has grown revenue 3.5% annually, on average. Duke swung to a second-quarter loss of $222 million, or 17 cents a share, as revenue increased 13% to $3.3 billion. The operating margin widened from 19% to 22%. Duke's stock trades at a forward earnings multiple of 13, a book value multiple of 1.1 and a cash flow multiple of 5 -- 4%, 34% and 14% discounts to utility peer averages. Around 16% of analysts covering the stock rate it "buy." A median target of $17.48 suggests it is fairly valued.