A 17-year payout-raising streak and a dividend yield above 6% make this a hard stock to ignore right now. Shares of Verizon Communications (VZ -4.67%) started Monday, April 22, on a low note. Investors responded to its first-quarter earnings report by pushing the stock about 3% lower in response to lackluster results. As a well-established telecommunications provider, Verizon isn't growing very fast, but it is reliable. The company has raised its dividend payout for 17 consecutive years and at recent prices ...