It's for difficult economic environments just like this one that investors buy dividend-paying stocks. When uncertainty abounds, having a portfolio that can produce a steady stream of income regardless of how the market performs can be reassuring.
Still, choosing your investments carefully is a must, because as we've just witnessed, many companies that looked solid before the pandemic have slashed their payouts this year -- or suspended them altogether.
Although the COVID-19 outbreak severely impaired the energy industry, the two companies below have held steady throughout the crisis. Both have had their doubters, but perhaps in part because of that, they're good stocks to buy now.