One enduring strength among the more prominent consumer stocks is their dividends. Many have maintained dividend payments for decades and, in many cases, they raise their dividends on an annual basis.
Some of these stocks also happen to offer dividend yields that are significantly above the S&P 500 average of 1.2%. Admittedly, such yields often come with depressed stock prices. Still, as business conditions improve, investors could benefit from high dividend returns and, possibly, stock price recoveries in these three stocks.
Image source: Getty Images.
Investors know Realty Income (NYSE: O), which bills itself as the “monthly dividend company,” for living up to that moniker. Not only has the real estate investment trust (REIT) maintained this trend since 1994, but it has also hiked its payout at least one time per year since then. At almost $3.23 per share annually, its current yield is about 5.4%.
It has funded those dividends by owning single-tenant, net-leased properties. This provides the company with a steady income as tenants cover the costs of maintenance, insurance, and property taxes. Currently, it has leased nearly 99% of the approximately 15,600 properties it owns.
Despite that success, interest rates rose early in the decade, leading to the stock selling at more than 25% below its all-time high. High rates have not slowed its profitability, as it earned $4.11 per share in funds from operations (FFO) income, a measure of a REIT’s free cash flow. This means the stock trades at just 14 times its trailing FFO income.
Additionally, amid an economic slowdown, the Fed is finally poised to cut interest rates. This should allow the company to refinance existing debt and fund new property developments at a lower cost, possibly serving as the catalyst its stock needs to finally recover.
Target (NYSE: TGT) has steadily trended downward since peaking in late 2021. It has lost nearly two-thirds of its value during that time as an uncertain economy, supply chain woes, and a series of controversial political stances led to fewer shoppers.
Moreover, the recent appointment of COO Michael Fiddelke as its next CEO drew a negative reaction from investors.
Despite a falling stock price, Target continued a pattern of annual payout hikes. With the streak now at 54 years, it is a Dividend King, a status that companies tend not to abandon unless necessary. That payout, which now amounts to $4.56 per share annually, yields more than 4.8%.
Fortunately, the $2.9 billion in free cash flow over the last year exceeded the approximately $2.0 billion spent to finance the dividend. Thus, Target can probably sustain its payout.
Additionally, the stock price likely factors in its challenges, especially considering that its P/E ratio of 11 is well below Walmart‘s 38 earnings multiple. As Target works through its challenges, it will pay investors well to hold the stock as it works to get back on track.
Beverage and food giant PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP) is another consumer dividend stalwart that has struggled. In addition to its flagship beverage, it owns hundreds of brands. These include Mountain Dew, Aquafina, Frito-Lay, and Quaker.
Health-conscious consumers are purchasing fewer sugary beverages and packaged foods, which has weighed on the stock. Consequently, the stock has lost about 25% of its value over the last two years.
However, like Target, PepsiCo is a Dividend King, having maintained a 53-year streak of increases. Its yearly payout of $5.69 per share yields about 3.75%. It generated nearly $7.1 billion in free cash flow over the last year, just shy of the $7.5 billion spent on dividend costs. Still, its $8.0 billion in liquidity should cover the payout while it works to improve its free cash flow.
Moreover, its free cash flow does not include a $1.86 billion impairment of intangible assets. That one-time charge helped raise its P/E ratio to 27. Still, its forward P/E ratio, which does not include such charges, is at 18, implying this is a reasonably priced stock.
Ultimately, new PepsiCo investors can buy a solid, generous income stream cheaply as the company reinvigorates its product lines. Such efforts should help the stock recover, making it a likely growth and income play.
Before you buy stock in Realty Income, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Realty Income wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $671,288!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005… if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,031,659!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,056% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 185% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.
Will Healy has positions in Realty Income and Target. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Realty Income, Target, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
