The stock market has taken a huge blow from the coronavirus pandemic, and energy stocks have faced a double-hit from the associated plunge in crude oil prices. That's put many energy companies in a fight for their lives, and they've had to take drastic measures to ensure that they have enough capital to maintain their debt and still operate effectively.
Some energy stocks have decided to pass some of the pain on to their shareholders by cutting their dividends. Reduced payouts mean keeping more cash for use internally, but it comes at the price of losing investors' trust.
But other companies in the energy sector are fighting back. Rather than suffering dividend cuts, they're doubling down on their shareholder-friendly policies, assuring investors that they'll do everything they can to defend their dividends. Let's look at three of those stocks to see how they intend to keep their quarterly payouts coming for investors.