After a brief respite in the hope that inflation had peaked, the stock market has taken another tumble recently as Wall Street returned its focus to all the negatives. It's turning 2022 into one of the more brutal years the market has experienced in quite some time.
While this year has been challenging, we've experienced dark times before and recovered. Because of that, investors should look past the negatives to the companies that have proven their ability to continue thriving during tough times. Three highly resilient companies that some of our contributors believe are great buys amid all the negativity are Enbridge (ENB 0.81%), Brookfield Renewable (BEPC 0.98%) (BEP 1.49%), and Enterprise Products Partners (EPD 0.20%).
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Reuben Gregg Brewer (Enbridge): The market goes up and down over time, and there's nothing you can do about that. But you can take advantage of investor mood swings when they result in big price drops at great companies, like Enbridge. The stock is down 20% from recent highs and offers a hefty 6.8% dividend yield. The good news doesn't stop there.
For example, the dividend has been increased annually for 27 consecutive years; the distributable cash-flow payout ratio is a sound 65% or so; and the company expects to generate around 2 billion Canadian dollars ($1.47 billion) in excess cash flow each year over the next few years. Even if there is a recession, that backdrop suggests the dividend is on very solid ground, noting that Enbridge's assets are largely backed by usage fees and long-term contracts.
And then there's the capital investments Enbridge has planned. Not only does it have the capacity to increase its spending here (note the CA$2 billion from above), but its current CA$10 billion ($7.3 billion) in investments should continue to grow its business for years into the future, including material expansion efforts in the clean energy sector. So this reliable dividend-paying midstream company isn't simply sitting pat; it's actively looking to keep its impressive dividend streak going while it changes along with the world around it.
That's the kind of stock you buy when the market is selling off.
You'd regret not buying this top dividend stock on a dip
Neha Chamaria (Brookfield Renewable): With shares of Brookfield Renewable plunging by double-digit percentages in the past month or so, investors have a solid opportunity to bet on one of the leaders in an industry with massive growth potential: renewable energy. Renewable energy is the fastest growing source of electricity in the U.S. right now, accounting for 24% of electricity generated in the U.S. in the first half of 2022, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Brookfield Renewable is one of the world's largest publicly traded pure-play renewable energy companies with primary operations in North America.
Brookfield Renewable's pipeline alone should give you an idea about the kind of growth that's ahead for the company. Brookfield Renewable currently has roughly 23 gigawatts (GW) of renewable capacity in operation. However, it already has nearly 75 GW of capacity under development. Even more important is how the company is diversifying its portfolio.
Until now, Brookfield Renewable primarily focused on hydropower. The bulk of its projects under development, however, is in solar and wind energy. This transformation also makes Brookfield Renewable one of the most diversified renewables plays and one of the best clean energy stocks to bet on.
Brookfield Renewable has generated solid wealth for long-term shareholders so far, and there's every reason to believe it'll continue doing so. A robust growth pipeline means Brookfield Renewable is already locking in future cash flows as it generates the bulk of them under long-term contracts. As its cash flows grow, so should its dividends. Brookfield Renewable is a solid dividend stock, having increased its dividend every year since 2000 and growing it at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6% over the period.
Brookfield Renewable is already targeting 5%to 9% growth in annual dividends in the long run, which should go a long way toward boosting its stock price and growing your money if you buy the stock now.
Consistency on sale
Matt DiLallo (Enterprise Products Partners): Enterprise Products Partners has been a model of consistency over the years. The master limited partnership (MLP) has increased its distribution 74 times since its initial public offering (IPO) in 1998. This year marks its 24th consecutive year of growing the shareholder payout. That's impressive, considering the volatility in the energy markets over that time frame.
Despite its remarkable consistency, units of the midstream MLP have fallen more than 14% from their recent peak as Wall Street has started focusing on the negatives again. As a result of that decline, investors who buy Enterprise can lock in a 7.9% yield these days.
That payout is on one of the most sustainable foundations in the pipeline industry. Enterprise Products Partners generates very stable cash flow backed by long-term contracts. Meanwhile, it pays out a little more than 50% of that money to support its high-yielding payout. That enables it to retain cash to fund its continued expansion while maintaining a top-tier balance sheet.
Enterprise Products Partners currently has $5.5 billion of expansion projects under construction that should help grow its cash flow for the next several years. Meanwhile, it has several more projects in development to fuel future growth. Along with its top-notch financial profile, this visible growth makes it seem likely that Enterprise will be able to continue growing its distribution in the future.
With Enterprise's value falling amid all the negativity, now looks like a good time to buy this consistent performer.