Put Your Idle Cash to Work — Earn Passive Income of $2,128/Year

Investing your idle cash in dividend stocks offering safe yields can fetch you a passive income that could continue to increase.

Having a passive income stream is a valuable lifeline, especially amid challenging times like the one we are facing in 2020. Besides, a regular passive income can help accumulate a significant amount of wealth over time if allocated well. 

So if you have some idle cash in hand and don’t need it for any emergency use, put your money in dividend stocks that offer a safe and high yield. The regular dividend income will give you the much-needed buffer, while appreciation in stock price could result in strong capital gains. 

Here we’ll focus on three TSX stocks with a long history of dividend payments and have the potential to raise their future dividends consistently. 

A 8.0% dividend yield 

Enbridge (TSX:ENB)(NYSE:ENB) has one of the most consistent track records of annual dividend increases among all publicly listed Canadian companies. The energy infrastructure giant has paid dividends for over 65 years. Moreover, Enbridge’s dividend has grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11% from 1995 to 2020. 

Besides booting its shareholders’ returns through higher dividend payments, Enbridge has also delivered strong capital appreciation, reflecting its solid financial performance over the past several years. While weak energy demand weighed heavily on Enbridge stock, its diversified and contracted assets generate robust distributable cash flow that drives its payouts. Further, sustained momentum in its core business and an uptick in economic activities suggest a sharp recovery in its stock in the medium term. 

With a quarterly payout of $0.81 per share, Enbridge offers a high dividend yield of about 8%. 

A 7.6% dividend yield 

Like Enbridge, Pembina Pipeline (TSX:PPL)(NYSE:PBA) has also consistently boosted its shareholders’ returns through higher dividend payments. Pembina’s dividends have grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.5% in the last five years. Besides, it has paid $4.5 billion in dividends during the same period. 

Despite the significant disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic, Pembina Pipeline has uninterruptedly paid its monthly dividends, reflecting the strength of its base business and its ability to generate robust fee-based cash flows.

Pembina’s business is highly contracted with agreements that reduce the negative impact of the short-term volatility in the commodity price and volume. With the economic reopening and gradual improvement in energy demand, Pembina Pipeline could recover fast and deliver strong returns. Besides, it offers a high dividend yield of 7.6%. 

A 5.7% dividend yield

With a very long history of consistent dividend payments, Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX:BNS)(NYSE:BNS) is another top investment option to generate a steady passive income that keeps growing. As well, its stock is trading at a discount to its peers, indicating further upside in its stock. 

Bank of Nova Scotia has increased its dividends in 43 of the last 45 years. Meanwhile, it has paid dividends since 1833. With the expected decline in provision for credit losses and the reopening of the economy, Bank of Nova Scotia could witness strong credit offtake and report a steep recovery in its bottom line.

Its stock is trading at a price-to-tangible book value (P/TBV) of 1.6, which is about 20% lower than the peer average. Moreover, it offers a high yield of 5.7%. 

Final thoughts 

All of these companies’ payouts are backed by resilient cash flows and diversified businesses, implying that you could put your idle cash to work and generate steady passive income without worrying much. A $10,000 investment in each of these TSX stocks would lead to a dividend income of $2,128/year.

Fool contributor Sneha Nahata has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Enbridge. The Motley Fool recommends BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA and PEMBINA PIPELINE CORPORATION.

More on Energy Stocks

financial chart graphs and oil pumps on a field
Energy Stocks

This Canadian Dividend Stock Just Jumped 21% – Should You Still Buy?

With most of the upside now priced in, ARX stock now looks more like a deal-driven story than a growth…

Read more »

oil pump jack under night sky
Energy Stocks

A 5% Yield Pipeline Stock That Could Have a Breakout Year

Enbridge offers a 5% yield and stable pipeline cash flows, positioning the stock for a potential breakout year as energy…

Read more »

Traffic jam with rows of slow cars
Energy Stocks

The Energy Stock I’d Most Want to Own for the Next Decade

Shell's $22B ARC Resources stock buyout extends oil sands consolidation – but Cenovus Energy (TSX:CVE) is the blue-chip stock I'd…

Read more »

Natural gas
Energy Stocks

1 Canadian Dividend Stock Off 15% to Buy and Hold Forever

This energy stock offers reasonable income from its regular dividend, potentially more income from special dividends, and long-term upside prospects.

Read more »

The TFSA is a powerful savings vehicle for Canadians who are saving for retirement.
Dividend Stocks

A Perfect TFSA Pair for 2026: 2 Stocks I’d Buy Now

Two resilient TSX stocks in the current market environment are the perfect pair to buy for your TFSA portfolio in…

Read more »

Oil industry worker works in oilfield
Energy Stocks

2 Canadian Energy Stocks That Still Look Cheap Today

Even with energy volatility, Peyto and Whitecap still look like “cheap but cash-generating” TSX producers with dividends that aren’t just…

Read more »

data center server racks glow with light
Energy Stocks

1 Canadian Company Set to Make a Fortune from the $650 Billion Data Centre Buildout

Cameco is positioned to benefit from the massive $650B data centre buildout as soaring AI power demand accelerates global nuclear…

Read more »

trading chart of brent crude oil prices
Energy Stocks

If Oil Hits $100, These 3 Canadian Stocks Could Surge

If oil really spikes to $100, these three Canadian energy names offer different kinds of torque: a major project ramp,…

Read more »