Is AGNC Investment Stock a Buy?

If there's one thing you need to know about AGNC Investment (NASDAQ: AGNC), it is that this mortgage real estate investment trust (REIT) has an ultra-high dividend yield of 15%. This is both a blessing and curse for investors, but which one it is depends a lot on the type of investor you happen to be. Here's why most investors will not want to buy AGNC Investment and why some will actually find the high-yield stock quite interesting.

A 15% dividend yield is eye-catching for most dividend investors. Think about that for just a second -- the rule of thumb average return for stocks is generally considered 10%. Just the dividend from AGNC Investment gets you above that figure. That sounds too good to be true, and for anyone that needs to use dividends to pay for their everyday expenses, well, it is too good to be true. Just look at the chart below and you'll quickly see why.