Computed head-to-head · 6 dimensions

AGNC vs O

AGNC Investment Corp. versus Realty Income Corporation — yield, safety, growth trend, cost, scale, and tax treatment.

O wins 3–2 on our six-dimension comparison, but AGNC can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.

Scorecard at a glance

Dimension	AGNC	O	Winner
Yield	13.21%	4.96%	AGNC wins
Dividend safety	3.8/10	5.8/10	O wins
Growth trend	-0.49% vs 5y	-0.10% vs 5y	AGNC wins
Volatility (beta)	1.30	0.73	O wins
Scale	$12.7B	$60.1B	O wins
Tax efficiency	Ordinary income	Ordinary income	Tie
Overall	2 wins	3 wins	O wins

Dimension by dimension

AGNC wins on yield (13.21% vs 4.96%)

On a $10,000 investment that's about $825 more in annual dividend income before taxes — though higher yield often comes with higher risk.

AGNC's higher yield (13.21%) looks attractive but investors should weigh whether the extra income compensates for any additional risk versus O's 4.96% — especially if the higher yield is driven by covered calls or a falling share price.

AGNC: 13.21%O: 4.96%

O wins on safety (5.8/10 vs 3.8/10)

Our score combines yield zone, payout ratio, trend vs 5-year average, instrument type, and size. O scores better on the weighted average of those factors.

O (5.8/10) scores 2.0 points higher than AGNC (3.8/10). A higher safety score means lower historical indicators of dividend cut risk — payout ratio, yield zone, and trend all factor in.

AGNC: 3.8/10O: 5.8/10

AGNC shows healthier dividend-vs-price trend

AGNC's yield is 0.49% below its 5y average, versus 0.10% for O. Lower (or below-average) yield trend often means price appreciation outpaced distributions — a healthier signal.

AGNC: -0.49% vs 5yO: -0.10% vs 5y

O is less volatile (beta 0.73 vs 1.30)

Lower beta means smaller swings vs the S&P 500 — generally a steadier hold for income investors.

AGNC: 1.30O: 0.73

O is 4.7× larger by market cap

Larger companies tend to have tighter spreads, deeper liquidity, and lower closure risk.

AGNC: $12.7BO: $60.1B

Both have similar tax-treatment concerns

Both pay primarily ordinary-income distributions (covered call ETF, REIT, or mREIT). Hold in a tax-advantaged account for the cleanest treatment.

AGNC: Ordinary incomeO: Ordinary income

How we compare these

Every comparison on this page is computed from current public data, not written by hand. Yield comes from the most recent dividend distribution annualized over current price. Safety scores combine yield zone, payout ratio, trend vs 5-year average, instrument type, and size — see our methodology for the exact formula. Tax-efficiency flags identify covered-call ETFs, REITs, and mREITs which distribute primarily as ordinary income.

This is educational, not investment advice.Scores reflect a snapshot of public data on the "as of" dates shown on each ticker's safety page. Verify on the issuer's investor relations page or your brokerage before making decisions.

Frequently asked

Which is better for income, AGNC or O?

O wins 3–2 on our six-dimension comparison, but AGNC can still be the better fit depending on your priorities — see each dimension below.

AGNC vs O: which has a higher dividend yield?

AGNC yields 13.21% and O yields 4.96%. On a $10,000 investment that's about $825 more in annual dividend income before taxes — though higher yield often comes with higher risk.

Is AGNC or O a safer dividend in 2026?

AGNC scores 3.8/10 (Weak) on the Infnits dividend safety scale. O scores 5.8/10 (Mixed). O is the safer pick on our scoring model.

Which has better dividend growth, AGNC or O?