No one can consistently predict where stocks will go in the short run, but everyone can predict, with reasonable confidence, where stocks will go in the long run: Up. If your time horizon is long enough, you can be reasonably confident (though of course not 100% sure) that a diversified portfolio of stocks will make money.

Market unpredictability can be nerve wracking without a doubt, particularly in case you're in or close to retirement. Be that as it may, it can likewise prompt some valuation inconsistencies: excellent, high-yielding organizations at a bargain. So we've done some screening to discover a few great companies worth investing in.

Even with dividend yields falling over the past few years as the stock market continued to rise, the growth of dividends over that time frame has more than offset the declining yield.

The carnage in the energy industry continues as oil has dropped below $40 per barrel, a level not seen since 2009. The biggest name of the bunch, Exxon (XOM), has not been unaffected either. Exxon's stock price is down 25% from the peak seen in mid-2014.

With the most recent stock market downturn and much-increased volatility, many investors are fretting and rubbing their hands together with anxiety. But income-oriented investors might want to instead celebrate, especially if they have cash they can begin moving into solid companies that now sport a higher dividend yield.

As some of the larger tech companies continue to mature, their dividend yields have slowly but surely crept up as well. We investors now have some wonderful choices when it comes to solid tech companies paying a dividend that has grown every year, even in recessions. However, some of these companies have a relatively large dividend yield while others have a lower yield, but a high dividend growth rate.

For many investors approaching retirement income planning for retirement has become extremely difficult, if not downright impossible. So many people had hoped to live off of income generated by relatively safe treasury bonds and high quality corporate bonds, but that strategy is out the window for most given where interest rates are today. Even with interest rates rising over the past few months, they are still well below historical norms.

Growth is slowing in the U.S., Greece is on the verge of leaving the Euro, and some economists are now predicting a recession this year. Add to that the possibility of the Fed finally raising interest rates and we have a recipe for a potential plunge in corporate earnings and the stock market.

With the stock market continuing its rise, the dividend yields on many stocks are down. This combined with the continued low interest rate environment is putting major stress on those who want enough income in retirement so that they never run out of money.

Target (TGT) has been on a tear lately with its stock price up 26% over the past year. Perhaps equally impressive is that its dividend has increased by 20% over this same time period. For investors in Target, times have been very good.

With the recent major decline in oil prices, Exxon's (XOM) stock price has taken a hit. It is now down about 10% from its peak. Given the price decline, it dividend yield is now up to 3%.

The stock market has once again shown that the days of nerve-wracking volatility are not over. Economic growth in the developed world remains sub-par to say the least and many still believe that most of the stock market here is propped up with easy money from the Federal Reserve.

Every day we see articles about how so many of those in their 60s cannot stop working for at least another decade. Many of those approaching retirement age simply did not have enough money saved and were not prepared. This, combined with losses from the crash of 2008 and 2009, has left many people struggling to figure out how they might retire before they’re 65 or even 70 years old.

It is not easy these days to find companies that pay a dividend yield of nearly 5%, have never cut their dividend in over 40 years, and who continue to increase the dividend at a nearly 10% rate. But there is one such company out there. Altria (MO), parent company of Phillip Morris, continues to pay out its steady dividend, even during recessions, making it a wonderful addition to retirement portfolios.