The S&P/TSX Composite Index rose 45 points on August 5. Canadian stocks enjoyed a broad bounce. Only base metals suffered a retreat, as investors appeared to flock from precious metals-linked equities. This rebound is promising, but investors should still be careful as volatility picks up. Today, I want to look at three top dividend stocks that you can rely on for years to come.
This super dividend stock is chasing a crown
Fortis (TSX:FTS)(NYSE:FTS) is a St. John’s-based utility holding company. In August 2020, I’d discussed why Fortis was a dividend stock you could hold for the long haul. Its shares have climbed 9.5% in 2021 as of close on August 5. The stock has defied market volatility, rising 3.1% month over month.
The company saw profit slip in the second quarter of 2021, and it missed analyst estimates. However, adjusted net earnings came in at $259 million, or $0.55 per share — up marginally from $258 million but down from $0.56 per share in Q2 2020. Fortis is on track to deliver dividend growth of roughly 6% annually through 2024 on the back of its five-year capital plan. This investment aims to significantly bolster its rate base.
This dividend stock last paid out a quarterly distribution of $0.505 per share. That represents a 3.5% yield. Fortis has delivered 47 consecutive years of dividend growth.
Why investors should look to stash green energy stocks right now
Last year, I’d also looked at dividend stocks that were worth holding in preparation for the future. Green energy stocks are poised for more growth this decade, as the public and private spheres push to reduce carbon emissions in the years ahead. TransAlta Renewables (TSX:RNW) is one of my favourite dividend stocks in this space. Its shares have dropped marginally in the year-to-date period.
This dividend stock is still up 45% from the prior year. At the time of publication of this article, the company will have unveiled its second-quarter 2021 results. In Q1 2021, TransAlta delivered comparable EBITDA growth of 4% to $123 million. Meanwhile, adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) were mostly flat at $93 million.
Shares of TransAlta possess a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 42. This seems high at a glance, but the dividend stock is in solid value territory relative to its industry peers. It offers a monthly dividend of $0.07833 per share. That represents a 4.1% yield.
One more dividend stock to snatch up today
BCE (TSX:BCE)(NYSE:BCE) is the third and final dividend stock I want to zero in on today. This top telecommunications company released its second-quarter 2021 results on August 5. Net earnings jumped 149% year over year to $734 million. Meanwhile, BCE delivered revenue growth of 6.4% and adjusted EBITDA growth of 6.2%. The company concluded the second quarter with $5.3 billion in available liquidity, which puts the top telecom in a great financial position.
This dividend stock last had a favourable P/E ratio of 23. It announced a quarterly dividend of $0.875 per share, representing a strong 5.5% yield. BCE’s superior balance sheet should enable attractive dividend growth going forward.
