The stock market is crashing, and while it's concerning to anyone to watch their portfolios dwindle, savvy investors know there's no better time than the present to buy stocks.
With many dividend stocks trading at historic lows, investors have the opportunity to lock in better-than-normal yields. The three stocks below all pay investors more than 6% per year and could be great sources of income for your portfolio.
1. Global Medical REIT
Global Medical REIT (GMRE -2.69%), which invests in healthcare properties across the U.S., has properties with total leasable square footage of 2.8 billion. And with an occupancy rate of 99.8%, the real estate investment trust (REIT) is operating at nearly full capacity. As the demand for hospitals and medical facilities rise as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, there's a very real possibility the occupancy rate can reach 100%.
In New York, the situation is so dire that Governor Cuomo estimates that the state will need more than 50,000 more hospital rooms within approximately 45 days. Hotels, dormitories, and any other locations that can be made into makeshift hospitals are possibilities to increase space for patients. That makes it all the more likely that Global Medical's facilities will be maximized to their full potential.
Currently, the company pays a quarterly dividend of $0.20 per share, yielding an impressive 9.9% annually, well above the S&P 500 average, which typically comes in around 2%. A key reason for the high yield is that the stock is down 3.5% over the past year, with most of those declines coming in the past month as a result of the market's volatility. Global Medical's decline is still better than the S&P 500, which is down 19% during the past year.
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The company released its year-end results on March 4, reporting rental revenue growth of 32.7% from the prior year, mainly due to acquisitions. Its funds from operations (FFO) of $0.75 per share were comparable to the previous year when it reported per-share FFO of $0.76. The FFO is lower than the company's annual dividend of $0.80, but Global Medical hasn't indicated that it's looking to make any adjustments to its payout. In 2019, the company reported diluted earnings per share of $0.10. REITs have to pay out at least 90% of their taxable earnings out as dividends.
2. BCE
Canadian telecom BCE's (BCE -0.92%) shares normally don't experience much volatility. That's what makes the stock's 18% decline over the past year an exceptional buying opportunity. BCE currently trades at only 18 times its earnings, and it's within a few dollars from its 52-week low.
Although the company has generated little sales growth in recent years, it still reported a profit margin north of 10% in 2019, which is typical for BCE. It's an industry leader in Canada, and it can provide a lot of stability for your portfolio. The company raised its payouts on Feb. 6 when it released its full-year results for 2019. Investors will now earn 3.33 Canadian dollars per year per share. That's good for an annual dividend yield of 6.1%.
Although it's a stable buy, the company is still looking for ways to grow. On March 6, BCE announced it would be the exclusive Canadian partner for mobile video platform Quibi. BCE will give customers the ability to subscribe to daily content on the platform for a monthly fee. The company's president and CEO, Mirko Bibic, calls the platform an "exciting new evolution in entertainment."
3. IBM
International Business Machines (IBM -0.94%) stock is down the most of the three companies listed here, falling a mammoth 32.5% in just 12 months. Those losses have largely come in the past month and are tied to the market's struggles as a whole. However, over the long term, IBM is a good bet to recover. Although the company saw its sales drop in 2019, it reported a profit of $9.4 billion -- the highest that it's seen since 2016 when its net income was $11.9 billion. A key reason for the higher profit is that in 2019 and 2016, IBM's bottom line benefited from lower tax expenses, which in those years was less than 1% of the company's revenue -- normally it's at least 3% or higher.
The computer manufacturer has evolved over the years and more than 61% of its revenue now comes from services, with product sales making up 37% of its top line. It's good diversification that makes the stock a much safer buy. Service revenue tends to be recurring and can make the company's top line more predictable. And IBM's $34 billion acquisition of software company Red Hat, which closed in July 2019, will further extend its products and services. Red Hat's a big name in open-source software and it creates an opportunity for the two companies to work together to innovate and provide their customers with more integrated solutions. IBM will also be able to optimize its products to be used on Red Hat products.
IBM currently pays shareholders a quarterly dividend of $1.62, which today yields 6.4% annually. The company raised its dividend last April, the 24th consecutive year it has done so. If the company increases its dividend again next month, it will fall into the category of a Dividend Aristocrat.
Why all three stocks may be good options to buy today
All of the stocks listed above are good, stable investments for both the short and long term. These businesses all look strong and offer some great payouts as well. And by holding dividend stocks that are in three different industries, investors can add diversification to their portfolios, making them stronger over the long term.
