Are These The Best Dividend Stocks To Invest In Right Now?
Following some aggressive commentary on the Fed’s monetary policy plans, the stock market remains volatile, to say the least. Because of this, investors could be looking towards more defensive plays such as dividend stocks. Now, if you keep up with the latest stock market news, all this comes as no surprise. After all, between a global pandemic, war in Eastern Europe, and soaring inflation, plenty of market headwinds are at play. As such, both value stocks and defensive stocks that fall under the category of dividend stocks would be in focus.
For one thing, there is a wide array of companies that pay quarterly dividends in the stock market today. While not often considered a go-to among dividend investors, Nike (NYSE: NKE) offers a quarterly dividend of $0.31. This adds up to an annual yield of 0.94%, not the highest but it remains a regular payout nonetheless. Today, the company is turning heads after posting earnings beats on the top and bottom lines in its latest quarterly update. At the same time, companies like Nucor (NYSE: NUE) that operate in the materials industries are also viable plays. Worth mentioning, the company is also expecting a record quarterly earnings per share for the current quarter. After considering all of this, could one of these dividend stocks be a top pick in the stock market now?
Dividend Stocks To Buy [Or Sell] Ahead Of April 2022
- Mosaic Company (NYSE: MOS)
- Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: OXY)
- Altria Group Inc. (NYSE: MO)
- Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F)
- International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE: IBM)
Mosaic Company
First up, we have Mosaic Company, a Fortune 500 company that mines phosphate and potash through segments like international distribution and Mosaic Fertilizantes. In fact, the company is one of the world’s leading companies and is compelled to help the world grow the food it needs. MOS stock has more than doubled in valuation in the last 6 months alone. On Monday, the company announced its January and February 2022 revenues and sales volumes.
Diving in, the company reported a potash sales volume of over $600 million for the first two months of 2022, more than doubling its sales year-over-year. Sales revenues for phosphates were $873 million. These impressive volumes come despite logistical constraints and rail delays in Canada and central Florida. Last month, it also reported that it has a new $1 billion share repurchase program to immediately follow on completion of its latest authorization. Besides, it raised its regular annual dividend to $0.60 per share from $0.45 per share. All things considered, is MOS stock worth investing in today?
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Occidental Petroleum Corporation
Following that, we have Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY), a dividend company that engages in hydrocarbon exploration in the U.S., the Middle East, and Colombia. It also has petrochemical manufacturing operations in the U.S., Canada, and Chile. Impressively, it is one of the largest oil producers in the U.S. and is a leading producer in the Permian and DJ basins. The company also has a chemical subsidiary OxyChem that manufactures the building blocks for life-enhancing products.
Today, it announced an agreement with an affiliate of SK Trading International for the first net-zero oil created by combining crude oil with environmental attributes generated from the sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. “As Occidental advances our Pathway to Net Zero, we are excited to partner with SK Trading International and leverage our licensed direct air capture technology and EOR experience to create a new solution for the transportation sector,” said Richard Jackson, President, U.S. Onshore Resources and Carbon Management, Operations, Occidental. With that being said, is OXY stock a buy right now?
Altria Group Inc.
Altria Group is one of the world’s largest producers and marketers of tobacco, cigarettes, and related products. Through its subsidiaries and strategic investments in other companies, the company seeks to provide category-leading choices to consumers, while returning maximum value to shareholders through dividends and growth. Its brands include Marlboro and Black & Mild among others. In late January, the company reported its fourth-quarter and full-year results.
Firstly, it reported a net revenue of $6.25 billion for the quarter. Secondly, it posted a diluted earnings per share of $0.88 for the quarter. For its latest quarter, the company announced that its Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.90 per share, payable on April 29, 2022, to shareholders of record as of March 25, 2022. Not to mention, MO stock also received an upgrade from Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS). The firm now has a Buy rating on Altria, citing its strong cash flow, high profit margins, and attractive dividend for the upgrade. With that being said, is MO stock worth adding to your portfolio?
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Ford Motor Company
Following that, Ford is another dividend-paying company that is making the rounds in the news now. To begin with, this legacy automotive goliath offers a $0.10 per share quarterly dividend payout. This adds up to an admirable 2.43% annual dividend yield. Now, like most of its peers in the automotive industry, Ford has been and still is actively working to electrify its offerings. As an upcoming contender in the electric vehicle (EV) market now, auto investors could be keeping an eye on Ford.
Notably, Ford has a positive update regarding its highly awaited F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck. The EV in question now boasts a 320-mile range on a full charge for the largest battery configuration. This data is courtesy of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) latest tests. In other words, this places Ford’s EV pickup in the ring with the likes of Rivian (NASDAQ: RIVN) and General Motors (NYSE: GM). Both of which offer ranges of 314 miles and 329 miles respectively on their top-end electric pickup models. After considering all this, would F stock be a buy for you?
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International Business Machines Corporation
Last but not least, we will be taking a look at the International Business Machines Corporation or IBM for short. As most would know, the multinational tech firm has a hand in a variety of cutting-edge tech research fields. Furthermore, it also serves the enterprise software industry via its hybrid cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), and quantum intelligence services. For a sense of scale, IBM currently operates in over 171 countries worldwide.
More importantly, would IBM stock be a good buy for dividend investors now? Well, for one thing, the company does offer a quarterly dividend of $1.64 per share. This makes for an annual dividend yield of about 5.09%. Also, IBM has been raising its dividend for the past 26 years as well. With its strong history of dividend payouts and ever-growing portfolio, IBM stock could be worth watching among its dividend stock peers. Would you say the same?
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