Three stocks that have dwarfed the S&P 500 this year and that are up over 20% and also pay a high rate of dividends include Merck (NYSE: MRK), General Mills (NYSE: GIS), and Chevron (NYSE: CVX). In October, the company also announced it was exercising an option to work on a personalized cancer vaccine with Moderna, in a move that likely got investors excited about its future growth prospects. But the cereal maker, known for brands such as Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Cocoa Puffs, has been a popular place to invest in amid inflation.