With the Fourth of July in the rearview mirror, it's a perfect time to start scanning this bear market for quality stocks trading at discounts. Dividend investors in particular benefit from lower prices because they receive more passive income for their money when shares are cheap.
Here are three mature blue-chip technology stocks that pay juicy dividend yields worthy of an income-focused portfolio. The best part? They are bargains hiding in plain sight.
1. Verizon: Dial up this 5% yield
Verizon Communications (VZ -0.53%) is a telecommunications company that owns the second-largest wireless network in the United States. Strides in technology have ensured that people use wireless networks and smartphones every day, and these days telecom companies behave more like utilities; they also face limited competition because of the massive investments needed to build and maintain network towers. Verizon pulls in more than $134 billion in annual revenue and turns about 27% of that into cash operating profits.
That's enough to continue investing in its network while paying a steadily rising dividend. Verizon's raised its payout annually for 18 consecutive years, and it is on its way to becoming an eventual Dividend Aristocrat. Its dividend payout ratio is also just 49%, leaving plenty of room for affordability and future increases.
The stock has held up reasonably well in this bear market but trades at a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of just under 10. The stock's median P/E over the past decade is 13.5, so it seems that shares represent a solid value for investors.
2. Broadcom: A semiconductor stock that yields 3.2%
Broadcom (AVGO 0.61%) is a company that develops and sells semiconductors and software. Semiconductors are little chips that are essentially the building blocks of technology. Everything from your smartphone to your car uses semiconductors to function, and chips become increasingly important as new technology arises.
Broadcom specializes in chips for communications applications, including broadband, networks, smartphones, industrial, and data storage. About a quarter of Broadcom's business is infrastructure software sold to enterprises for mainframes, security, and networks.
The company does about $30 billion in annual sales, but is a cash-producing machine, getting a whopping $0.48 in free cash flow out of every sales dollar. Management pays shareholders a generous dividend that yields 3.5% and has increased for 13 years. The dividend payout ratio is also just 46%, so there's plenty of room for future growth.
The stock price is down 25% since January, which has helped push the valuation into value territory. At a P/E of 24, the stock is well below its 10-year median P/E of 30. The company should benefit from 5G technology; analysts believe the company will grow earnings-per-share (EPS) by an average of 14% annually over the next three to five years.
3. Cisco Systems: Network your way to a 3.5% yield
Cisco Systems (CSCO 0.06%) is one of the elder members of the technology sector; it was founded in the 1980s and survived the dot-com crash at the turn of the millennium. Think of Cisco as a one-stop shop for connectivity: It sells routers, switches, and other hardware, as well as the software that supports and secures its networks.
Networks have become more complex over the decades. Especially with remote work becoming mainstream, enterprises need strong networks they can trust. Cisco does business worldwide, generating more than $51 billion in annual revenue.
It's also a very profitable company, getting $0.30 of free cash flow out of every sales dollar, giving Cisco a lot of financial flexibility. The company's dividend is a big deal for shareholders; about half of Cisco's cash profits fund the payout. The dividend yield is 3.5%, and management has increased the dividend annually for 12 years.
The year hasn't been kind to the stock, which has fallen more than 30% since January. But with a P/E ratio of 15 versus a median P/E of 16 over the past decade, the stock's gone from expensive to a reasonable deal for long-term investors. Cisco's growth won't blow you away; analysts expect roughly 6% annual EPS growth moving forward. However, the stock's juicy yield and steady growth make it worth considering for more conservative investors.
