3 Top Canadian Stocks to Buy Now and Hold Forever

Here’s why investors seeking safety should buy shares in Canadian National Railway (TSX:CNR)(NYSE:CNI) and two other great businesses.

Dollar symbol and Canadian flag on keyboard

Image source: Getty Images

There are several ways to buy dividend stocks at the moment. Snapping up oversold Canadian stocks mixes a contrarian style with value investing for instance. A recessionary style involves splitting an end-point position into stages and buying on incremental weakness. But all of these approaches essentially add up to the same thing: investors seeking passive income should be thinking super long term.

Investors should be cautious about buying TSX stocks in bulk. The market is far too frothy to get the timing right. However, what investors can do is break down an eventual position and buy the dips. Take that $5,000 you want to invest and split it up. If you buy five dips at $1,000, you could end up with a larger position than buying once. Or decide how many shares you want to hold and reduce your outlay instead.

Three top Canadian stocks to hold for years to come

CN Rail’s 2% dividend is among the most reliable on the TSX. This important to keep in mind, since dividends could be in danger as the Canadian economy takes a battering. The reasons to build a position in CN Rail are almost as broad as its business model. The rail operator’s empire is vast, spanning Canada and reaching the Gulf of Mexico, and hauls everything from grain and metals to fuel and chemicals.

Enbridge is key to tapping Canada’s hydrocarbon resources. Right now, the thesis for fossil fuels is becoming weaker by the day. But such resources may become safer and more efficient to process in the future. Enbridge is likely to remain securely in place to transport liquid fuel for years to come. Profits might be down now, but this blue-chip Canadian stock is still a strong play for the super long term.

TD Bank is on the ropes at the moment. As a Big Five ticker, it’s far from being alone in underperforming the market. Banks are, after all, highly cyclical assets. And with a recession likely underway and the threat of worse to come, banking stocks should be down for some time. However, investors should rest assured that banks, as essential pillars of the economy, will never be allowed to fail.

Investors should consider slowly building positions in names like Enbridge and TD Bank. Both stocks are cheap at the moment, supporting a value investment thesis. This has also led to higher yielding dividends, making them ideal for a TFSA or RRSP. Enbridge currently pays a tasty 7.8% yield, while TD Bank pays 5.5%. Would-be shareholders could consider holding through rallies and building positions slowly on weakness.

The bottom line

TD Bank is one of our biggest banks, and that means safety is relatively assured for investors going long. Enbridge is similarly well positioned, with its Mainline network providing a broad economic moat. Both stocks are a bargain at the moment and offer high dividend yields to the low-risk investor going long. CN Rail is also suitably “moaty” and packs a defensible dividend that will stack up over the years.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium service or advisor. We’re Motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer, so we sometimes publish articles that may not be in line with recommendations, rankings or other content.

Fool contributor Victoria Hetherington has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. David Gardner owns shares of Canadian National Railway. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Canadian National Railway and Enbridge. The Motley Fool recommends Canadian National Railway.

More on Dividend Stocks

stock analysis
Dividend Stocks

Buy These TSX Dividend Shares Next Week

Are you looking for dividend stocks to add to your portfolio? Buy these picks next week!

Read more »

edit Safety First illustration
Dividend Stocks

3 of the Safest Dividend Stocks in Canada

These three dividend stocks are all high-quality companies with defensive operations, making them some of the safest investments in Canada.

Read more »

A person builds a rock tower on a beach.
Dividend Stocks

3 Stocks to Anchor Your Portfolio in a Rocky Market

Three stocks are solid anchors in any portfolio today for their outperformance in a weak market and defiance of the…

Read more »

money cash dividends
Dividend Stocks

3 Solid Dividend Stocks That Cost Less Than $30

Given their solid financials and healthy cash flows, the following under-$30 dividend stocks are a good buy in this volatile…

Read more »

grow money, wealth build
Dividend Stocks

2 High-Yield Dividend Stocks With Rock-Solid Payout Ratios

These two dividend stocks offer unbelievably high yields of more than 7% and earn more than enough free cash flow…

Read more »

TIMER SAYING TIME FOR ACTION
Dividend Stocks

5 Steps to Making $500 in Monthly Passive Income in 2023

Generating monthly passive income isn't as hard as it sounds. Here are 5 steps to start making $500 every month.

Read more »

sad concerned deep in thought
Dividend Stocks

Worried About a Recession? Invest in This Stable Dividend Stock to Rest Easy

Stable dividend stocks bought primarily for their payouts can offer you surety of returns, even during a recession.

Read more »

A golden egg in a nest
Dividend Stocks

How to Turn $50,000 Savings Into a Generous Nest Egg in 2 Decades

Build a generous nest egg in 20 years by investing your accumulated savings in Dividend Aristocrats and holding them in…

Read more »