S&P 500 companies are set to pay a record $550 billion in dividends this year, so CNBC Pro found a basket of names that could help investors play the topic. Dividend payouts in the S&P 500 are set to grow by more than 10% this year, which would set a new annual record, if companies follow suit and pay current yields showing, according to the report. a note Sunday from Howard of S&P Global. Silverblatt. “The current working view on S&P 500 dividends continues to be positive, with growth expected, even as the economy slows and interest rates rise,” Silverblatt wrote. With record earnings set to pour in to investors, what are the best stocks to trend? CNBC PRO sought to find stocks that could reliably increase payouts, have high dividend yields, and are in good financial standing. These companies have increased their dividends in four of the past five years and have a higher current yield than the yield on the 10-year Treasury note. Most analysts look at buying opportunities in stocks. Here’s the list: BlackRock, which has increased its dividend payout over the past five years, even during the pandemic, has a dividend yield of 2.8%. The stock is seen as a buying opportunity by Morgan Stanley, in a June note that the recession could be “a prime opportunity to build a position in such a high-quality aggregate company.” Fifth Third Bancorp, which has increased its dividend for five years, has a dividend yield of 3.6%. The company is considered “one of the best managers in terms of interest rate sensitivity,” along with Regions Financial, according to a note Sunday from Wedbush Securities. Corning, which has increased its dividend consistently for five years, has a dividend yield of 3%. Valero, which has raised its dividend for four out of five years, has a 3.8% dividend yield. Other companies on this list include American Electric Power Company, Broadcom, Citizens Financial Group, Digital Realty Trust, MetLife, NiSource, VICI Properties and Williams Enterprises.