Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A -0.34%) (BRK.B -0.01%) CEO Warren Buffett is perhaps the best-known value investor of all time. Buffett's concept of value centers around the idea of a deep competitive moat, a sustainable business model, and strong free cash flows.
As a result, most of Berkshire's top holdings over the past several decades have been well-established companies that offer top-notch shareholder rewards (share repurchases and dividends). Dividends have been particularly important to Berkshire's and Buffett's outstanding gains over the years, as dividends can be used to generate compounding returns when they are reinvested.
Which Warren Buffett dividend stock picks are the most appealing buys right now? The healthcare stocks AbbVie (ABBV 0.98%) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX) are two intriguing Berkshire holdings that each pay a respectable dividend. Although these two healthcare stocks are a tad riskier than the average Berkshire investment, there is a solid bull case for both AbbVie and Royalty Pharma right now. Read on to find out more about these two Warren Buffett dividend stock picks.
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AbbVie: A high-yield growth stock
Berkshire first bought AbbVie during the third quarter of 2020. Although Buffett's diversified holding company has since pared back its position in the Illinois-based drugmaker, AbbVie's shares are still a worthwhile buy for most income investors. AbbVie's stock is an appealing income play for three clear-cut reasons. First, the drugmaker pays out a handsome 4.5% dividend yield on an annualized basis. That's one of the highest yields among major drug manufacturers.
Second, AbbVie is a Dividend Aristocrat, meaning that it has a strong track record of raising its dividend on a regular basis. In fact, the company has boosted its yield by a whopping 225% since 2013.
Lastly, AbbVie has radically transformed its product portfolio ahead of the patent expiration for the flagship anti-inflammatory medicine Humira. The company now has two new high growth immunology assets with Skyrizi and Rinvoq, a strong and growing eye care franchise, several healthy avenues to explore for the commercial expansion of its Allergan aesthetics segment, an underappreciated migraine franchise, and two top-notch oncology drugs with Imbruvica and Venclexta.
The net result is that AbbVie's top line is forecast to rise by a respectable 6.6% in 2022, despite biosimilar competition for Humira.
Royalty Pharma: A dependable revenue stream
Royalty Pharma is a brand new addition to the Berkshire family of holdings. The diversified holding company jumped into this pharma stock in the third quarter of 2021 following a sharp pullback in its share price. The backstory is that Royalty went public in the middle of 2020 and initially became a big hit with investors. The company's shares, however, have since reversed course due to the raging political debate over prescription drug prices in the U.S., as well as the negative sentiment toward biopharma stocks in general this year.
Why is Royalty's stock a bargain at these levels? Although Royalty pays out a less-than-stellar 1.78% annualized dividend yield, the company sports a rock-solid business model. Royalty Pharma makes money by funding late-stage clinical assets in exchange for a share of future revenues. The reason this business model is attractive is because it largely eliminates the risk of investing in either early stage drugmakers or biopharmas with aging portfolios. Royalty, in effect, can cherry-pick the best new growth assets to fund, without having to deal with early to mid-stage clinical setbacks or steep drop-offs in revenue from patent expirations.
Now, Royalty's dividend yield isn't going to make you rich, but it is a source of reliable income. And that high level of dependability is arguably worth the price of admission alone.
