As the aging bull market presses ahead, it is pretty easy to see there has been a big rotation out of growth and momentum stocks and into value and cyclical ones. Given the massive move since the market lows of March 2020, many investors sense that it is time to move to stocks that still have growth potential going forward but also pay a solid dividend. Despite some hand wringing over higher interest rates, they remain near generational lows across the board.
We decided to screen the Goldman Sachs Americas Conviction List, which is a collection of the top equity ideas at the firm, looking for stocks that paid a solid and dependable dividend that was higher than the S&P 500 yield of 1.45% and the 30-year U.S. Treasury bond of 2.23%.
We found five that look like outstanding total return ideas now, and all are positioned well for the rest of 2021 and beyond. It is important to remember that no single analyst report should be used as a sole basis for any buying or selling decision.
Bristol Myers Squibb
This remains a solid pharmaceutical stock to own long term and offers among the best values now for investors. Bristol Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE: BMY) is a global pharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, licensing and marketing chemically synthesized drugs or small molecules and biologics in various therapeutic areas, including virology comprising human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV), oncology, neuroscience, immunoscience and cardiovascular.
The company’s products include the following:
- Opdivo for anti-cancer indications
- Eliquis, an oral inhibitor targeted at stroke prevention in adult patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, and the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolic disorders
- Orencia for adult patients with active RA and prostate-specific antigen, as well as reducing signs and symptoms in pediatric patients with active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
Shareholders receive a 3.04% dividend. Goldman Sachs has a massive $90 price target on the shares, while the Wall Street consensus target is $75.13. Bristol Myers Squibb stock closed trading on Thursday at $64.46 per share.
Marathon Petroleum
This is a solid way for investors who are more conservative to play the energy sector, which may still have some serious upside potential. Marathon Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: MPC) is one of the largest independent petroleum refining and marketing companies in the United States.
Until just recently, Marathon Petroleum operated approximately 2,750 retail sites under the Marathon and Speedway brands. In addition, it operates a logistics network of pipelines, barges, trucks and terminals that store and transport crude and products.
Last year, the company announced it would sell Speedway to 7-11 in an all-cash deal valued at $21 billion, or $16.5 billion after-tax. The sale transforms the company’s balance sheet and creates options to revisit the corporate structure of MPLX. Many on Wall Street feel that with Speedway removed, the dislocation in refining value becomes even more transparent as the company trades much cheaper than its industry peers do. The deal now is expected to close in this quarter.
Investors in Marathon Petroleum stock receive a 3.90% dividend. The Goldman Sachs price target is $66. The consensus target is just $46.27, but the shares closed most recently at $59.46 apiece.
PepsiCo
This top consumer staples stock fits the bill for worried investors. PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE: PEP) operates as a food and beverage company worldwide. Its Frito-Lay North America segment offers Lay’s and Ruffles potato chips; Doritos, Tostitos and Santitas tortilla chips; and Cheetos cheese-flavored snacks, branded dips and Fritos corn chips.
The Quaker Foods North America segment provides Quaker oatmeal, grits, rice cakes, natural granola and oat squares, as well as the recently renamed Aunt Jemima mixes and syrups, and Quaker Chewy granola bars, Cap’n Crunch cereal, Life cereal and Rice-A-Roni side dishes.
Pepsi’s North America Beverages segment offers beverage concentrates, fountain syrups and finished goods under the Pepsi, Gatorade, Mountain Dew, Diet Pepsi, Aquafina, Tropicana Pure Premium, Sierra Mist and Mug brands, as well as ready-to-drink tea and coffee, and juices.
Shareholders receive a 2.95% dividend. The $160 Goldman Sachs price target is above the $152.09 consensus target. PepsiCo stock closed at $145.55 a share on Thursday.
Realty Income
This is an ideal midcap stock for growth and income investors looking for a safer idea for the rest of 2021. Realty Income Corp. (NYSE: O) is an S&P 500 company dedicated to providing stockholders with dependable monthly income. The company is structured as a real estate investment trust (REIT), and its monthly dividends are supported by the cash flow from over 6,500 real estate properties owned under long-term lease agreements with commercial tenants.
To date, the company has declared 604 consecutive common stock monthly dividends throughout its 51-year operating history and increased the dividend 108 times since its public listing in 1994, and it is a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats index.
Investors receive a 4.17% distribution. Goldman Sachs has set its target price on Realty Income stock at $84. That compares with the much lower $69.53 consensus figure and the $67.55 close on Thursday.
Verizon Communications
Shares of this top telecommunications company offer tremendous value at current levels. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) is one of the largest U.S. telecom companies. It provides wireless and wireline service to retail, enterprise and wholesale customers.
The company’s wireless network serves approximately 120 million mobile connections with 115 million postpaid subscribers. Verizon’s wireline business has undergone a period of secular decline due to wireless substitution and cable competition.
Verizon acquired AOL and Yahoo to create the Oath digital content platform, which the company recently sold at a sizable loss to Apollo Global Management for $5 billion The sale allows Verizon to offload properties from the former internet empires, though it will keep a 10% stake in the company and it will be rebranded to just Yahoo.
Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America’s most advanced fiber-optic network, and it delivers integrated business solutions to customers worldwide.
Investors receive an outstanding 4.23% dividend. The Goldman Sachs price objective is $64. The posted consensus price target for Verizon Communications stock is $60.94. The shares ended Thursday’s trading session changing hands at $59.29 apiece.
The bottom line is that, by any measure, the stock market is overbought, expensive and long due for a breather. That probably means more than a one- or two-day 3% decline. With that noted, there are very few alternatives for those that need some growth and, most importantly, consistent and dependable income. These five stock all supply both and make sense for growth and income investors.