STAG - 3 High-Yield Dividend Stocks That Are Screaming Buys in April
2024-04-06 03:13:00 ET
Surging stock prices have driven down dividend yields this year. The S&P 500 currently yields around 1.3%, which is approaching its historical low. That's leaving income-focused investors with fewer attractive options these days.
However, one sector remains ripe with enticing income-generating opportunities: Real estate investment trusts ( REITs ). Higher interest rates have weighed on valuations across the space, keeping their yields high. Stag Industrial (NYSE: STAG) , Realty Income (NYSE: O) , and Mid-America Apartment Communities (NYSE: MAA) currently offer dividend yields that are more than double that of the S&P 500 . That's one of several factors making these high-yielding REITs look like streaming buys this April.
Stag Industrial currently offers around a 4% dividend yield. That hefty payout is very sustainable. The industrial REIT signs long-term leases with clients (they have a weighted average lease term of 4.5 years) that contain clauses that escalate lease rates by an average of 2.7% per year. Those features provide it with stable and steadily rising cash flow. Meanwhile, it has a relatively conservative dividend payout ratio (75% of its cash is available for distribution). That enables it to retain about $90 million annually to fund new investments. Stag Industrial further fortifies its dividend with a strong balance sheet and a relatively low leverage ratio (5.0 to 5.5 times).
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3 High-Yield Dividend Stocks That Are Screaming Buys in April