Many investors have the view that foreign stocks pay dividends only annually. However this is not fully true. There are many foreign companies that pay dividends on a quarterly basis just like their U.S. peers. For example, European firms usually pay dividends twice a year – one in the form of interim dividend and the other as a final dividend. Most Latin American firms follow the U.S. model and pay quarterly dividends.A few Latin American firms such as Itau Unibanco (ITUB) pay a small monthly dividend.

Unlike most U.S. firms, dividend payments made by foreign firms can be volatile and vary based on earnings.However due to taxation laws and policies, foreign companies generally tend to have higher payout ratios than U.S. firms. So U.S. investors looking to add some overseas stocks that pay dividends quarterly and have high yields can choose from a wide universe.

The table below lists 27 foreign stocks(excluding Canada) paying quarterly dividends:

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Disclosure: Long ITUB, STD, BBVA, EC