NLY, LUMN, RITM, MPW, and OMF lead peers by forward dividend yield
Dividend Stocks: An Overview
This MONTH’S TOP dividend stocks, companies that pay out a portion of their earnings to shareholders on a regular basis, include Annaly Capital Management Inc., Lumen Technologies Inc., and Rithm Capital Corp.
Dividend companies have stable earnings and a track record of distributing a portion of them. The distributions are known as dividends and may be paid out in the form of cash or as additional stock.
One useful measure to gauge the sustainability of a company’s dividend payments is the dividend payout ratio (DPR), which measures total dividends divided by net income. It tells investors how much of the company’s net income is being paid to shareholders in the form of dividends compared with how much the company is retaining to invest in further growth.
If the ratio exceeds 100% or is negative (meaning net income is negative), the company may be borrowing to pay dividends. In these cases, the dividends are at a relatively greater risk of being cut. While dividend stocks are known for the regularity of their payments, in difficult economic times they may be cut to preserve cash.
Dividend stocks, as measured by the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index, have fallen 8% during the past year compared with the 21% decline of the Russell 1000 Index.1
Below, we look at the top five dividend stocks in the Russell 1000 by forward dividend yield, excluding companies with payout ratios that are either negative or in excess of 100%. None of these stocks outperformed the broader market during this time.
These market performance numbers and all statistics below are as of Nov. 3, 2022.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Dividend stocks are stocks of companies that pay shareholders a percentage of earnings regularly.
- Dividends are usually paid quarterly but can be paid semi-annually or annually.
- Dividend yield is the ratio, expressed as a percentage, that compares the annual dividend amount to the stock price.
- Dividend yield changes as a stock price rises and falls.
- While dividend yield is valuable to know, it’s important to research additional information about a company before investing in it.
Annaly Capital Management Inc. (NLY
- Forward Dividend Yield: 19.99%
- Payout Ratio: 34.41%
- Price: $17.61
- Market Cap: $8.2 billion
- 1-Year Total Return: -40.2%
Annaly Capital Management is a diversified capital management company that operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT). It has investments across the mortgage finance industry. Its investment portfolio includes agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS), residential real estate, and mortgage servicing rights. On Sept. 8, the company said its board of directors approved a 1-for-4 reverse stock split. It paid a quarterly dividend of $0.88 a share on Oct. 31.
Lumen Technologies Inc. (LUMN
- Forward Dividend Yield: 17.24%
- Payout Ratio: 52.33%
- Price: $5.80
- Market Cap: $6.0 billion
- 1-Year Total Return: -48.1%
Lumen Technologies is a technology and communications company that provides services to consumers and businesses worldwide. It provides an integrated platform that brings together network assets, cloud connectivity, security solutions, and voice and collaboration tools to help businesses use their data and adopt new technologies.
Rithm Capital Corp. (RITM
- Forward Dividend Yield: 12.47%
- Payout Ratio: 40.12%
- Price: $8.02
- Market Cap: $3.7 billion
- 1-Year Total Return: -23.4%
Rithm Capital, formerly known as New Residential Investment Corp., is a public REIT investing in the residential housing sector. The company’s portfolio includes mortgage-servicing-related assets, residential loans, non-agency securities, and similar investments. The company announced the change in its name and stock ticker in June 2022. On Oct. 28, Rithm paid a common stock dividend of $0.25 per share for the third quarter. Rithm on Nov. 15 will pay dividends for its Series A, Series B, Series C and Series D cumulative redeemable preferred shares.
Medical Properties Trust Inc. (MPW
- Forward Dividend Yield: 10.45%
- Payout Ratio: 41.43%
- Price: $11.10
- Market Cap: $6.6 billion
- 1-Year Total Return: -43.9%
Medical Properties Trust is a REIT that acquires, owns, and leases hundreds of medical and healthcare properties in the U.S., Europe, Australia, Central America and South America. The company also provides mortgage loans. The company paid a quarterly dividend of $0.29 per common share on Oct. 13.
OneMain Holdings Inc. (OMF
- Forward Dividend Yield: 10.26%
- Payout Ratio: 47.14%
- Price: $37.05
- Market Cap: $4.5 billion
- 1-Year Total Return: -26.2%
OneMain Holdings Inc. is a consumer finance company that provides origination, underwriting, and servicing of personal loans, primarily to non-prime customers. The company had 2.5 million in customer accounts and $19.6 billion in managed receivables at the end of 2021.
The markets often see higher than average dividend yielding stocks as riskier than high dividend growth stocks. Such yields can even imply weak growth prospects. Be sure to look at the financial health and growth potential of companies in addition to dividend yield before investing.
3 Ratios Used to Analyze Dividend Stocks
Dividend Yield: This ratio measures the annual value of dividends received relative to a security’s per share market value. Investors calculate the dividend yield by dividing the annual dividend per share by the current stock price.
For example, if company XZY issues a dividend of $10 annually with a current share price of $100, it has a dividend yield of 10% ($10 / $100 = 10%). Those seeking high-yielding stocks can start their search by screening for issues with a divided yield above a certain percentage. Bear in mind that there are many other factors besides dividend yield that investors should consider before investing in a stock.7
Dividend Payout Ratio: The DPR measures how much of a company’s earnings are paid out to shareholders. Investors calculate the ratio by dividing total dividends by net income.
For instance, if company XZY reported a net income of $50,000 and paid $15,000 in annual dividends, it would have a DRP of 30% ($15,000 / $50,000 = 30%). This means the company pays out 30% of its earnings to shareholders. Generally, a company that pays out less than 50% of its net earnings in dividends is considered stable and has the potential for sustainable long-term earnings growth.8
Dividend Coverage Ratio: This ratio measures the number of times a company can pay dividends to its shareholders. Investors calculate the dividend coverage ratio by dividing a company’s annual earnings per share (EPS) by its annual dividend per share.
For example, if company XZY reported $10 million in net income with an annual dividend of $2 million to shareholders, it has a dividend coverage ratio of 5 times. ($10 million / $2 million). Typically, investors view a higher dividend coverage ratio as more favorable.9
Advantages of Dividend Stocks
Two key advantages of investing in dividend stocks include generating a passive income and dividend reinvestment.10
Passive Income: Companies that pay dividends typically issue them quarterly, creating a reliable stream of passive income that investors can spend how they please. Dividends also have the added advantage of offsetting share price depreciation.
Dividend Reinvestment: Investors can reinvest dividends they receive back into the company to acquire more shares. This is called a dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP). Participating in a DRIP allows the investor to take advantage of compounding returns—a strategy to build long-term wealth.
Do Your Dividend Stock Research
A high yield is just one of several aspects to consider when investing in dividend stocks. A higher than average yield can signal trouble if a struggling company is paying large dividend amounts in an effort to attract investors.
In addition to dividend yield, be sure to take a good look at the following data as well.
- Payout ratio: This is the percentage of earnings that a company pays to its shareholders. A payout ratio of 35% to 55% is considered healthy because a company that distributes up to half of its earnings as dividends is likely to be a good performer and an industry leader. Importantly, it’s reinvesting a good share of its earnings back into itself for growth.11
- Dividend increases: A solid history of increasing dividends is welcome news because it indicates that a company has had the financial wherewithal and desire through good economic times and bad to keep paying its shareholders, and to raise the amount it pays.
- Dependable revenue and earnings growth: Over time, the more stable, the better. An occasional erratic result might not raise eyebrows but anything else may signal a company in trouble.
- Solid market share and competitive advantages: These can help companies maintain their ability to be excellent performers. Such advantages might be intellectual property, advanced technology, high barriers to entry, and a highly recognizable and respected brand name.
What Is the Dividend Yield?
It’s a percentage that represents the income (via dividends) that a company pays stock investors compared to the price of the stock. Dividend yield is just one metric that may help investors to decide whether or not a company’s stock can make a good addition to their portfolios.
How Does the Payout Ratio Relate to Dividend Yield?
While dividend yield compares dividend income to stock price, the payout ratio compares dividend income to company earnings. In other words, it shows investors how much a company pays them versus how much it keeps for itself. It can provide an idea of the income investors may expect to receive in the future. A payout ratio that is too high—where the company pays investors much more than it reinvests in itself—can mean there’s not much room for dividend growth. It may signal a company in trouble.
What Companies Have Paid Dividends the Longest?
Famously, the following companies are among those that have paid shareholders dividends for over 100 years: Coca-Cola, General Mills, Chubb, Colgate-Palmolive, Proctor & Gamble, Consolidated Edison, Eli Lilly, and Exxon Mobile.
The Bottom Line
Dividend yield compares the income a company pays shareholders to the price of that stock. It’s calculated by dividing the annual dividend amount (the amount of income paid throughout a year) by the stock’s price. While a high dividend yield may be appealing, it doesn’t necessarily mean a stock is a smart investment.
Dividend yield is one tool to use to screen for dividend stocks that are potentially worth owning. Overly high dividend yields may indicate that a company is struggling. Likewise, companies with extremely high payout ratios can also signal danger to investors.
Before investing your money, invest some time in looking for companies that are financially healthy enough to sustain and potentially grow their dividends, and continue to offer an attractive dividend yield.
Photo by Joshua Earle on Unsplash