$MBT

Earlier this month, JP Morgan recommended yield seekers swap a sizable chunk of junk bond holdings for dividend-paying stocks. The investment bank explained the elevated chance of default from junk bonds simply isn't worth the risk for today's nominal returns.

For long-term investors, top dividend-paying stocks, and dividend growers in particular, are indeed a much better bet.

Here are the 21 dividend stocks raising payouts or announcing special dividends for the week ending June 27, 2014.