Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A -0.39%) (BRK.B -0.56%) doesn't pay a dividend, but that doesn't mean CEO Warren Buffett avoids owning dividend stocks. Berkshire's stock portfolio is heavily weighted toward companies that regularly cut checks to shareholders, with each of the conglomerate's 10 largest holdings paying a dividend.
Given Berkshire's history of market-crushing performance, the company's portfolio holdings could be a good starting point for investors on the hunt for dependable dividend stocks. Read on for a look at two top income-generating stocks in the Berkshire portfolio.
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1. Chevron
Chevron (CVX 0.01%) is Berkshire Hathaway's fourth-largest overall stock holding and accounts for roughly 7.5% of the investment conglomerate's portfolio. With its 3.9% dividend yield, the energy company is also one of the biggest generators of dividend-based income for Berkshire.
Chevron is an integrated oil and gas company, which means that it's involved in the exploration and extraction, transportation, refinement, and marketing of these resources. That's been a great position to be in as energy prices surged over the last year, and a combination of supply constraints and rising demand led to soaring earnings and stock performance that's trounced the broader market.
Chevron posted net income of $11.6 billion in the second quarter, up from earnings of $3.1 billion in the prior-year period, and the company's operating cash flow for the first half of the year nearly doubled to reach $21.8 billion. With no signs of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine resolving in the near future and the potential for a continued pivot away from Russian energy even if the situation draws to a close, oil prices look poised to remain relatively high in the near future. And Chevron remains well positioned to navigate pricing fluctuations over the long term.
With strong financials and a business that looks set to continue generating great free cash flow, Chevron looks like a reliable, income-generating stock. The company doubled the dividend it pays per share since 2010, and continued stock buybacks should also be a positive catalyst for earnings per share and help the company continue to deliver payout increases.
2. HP
HP (HPQ -0.45%) stock yields a solid 3.9% dividend at current prices, and there's a good chance that the company will announce a significant payout boost when it reports fourth-quarter earnings. The tech specialist's last payout increase came in at a hefty 29%, and the company appears to be in solid shape to continue serving up reliable payout growth. There's an interesting business turnaround story at play here as well despite an overall soggy outlook for HP's traditional printers segment.
The hardware company revamped its approach to the PC and laptop markets. While HP previously focused on midrange devices that offered relatively weak margins, it's shifting its focus toward high-performance machines that are also capable of driving higher profits. This pivot is in line with changing demand trends in both the consumer and enterprise markets, and HP does a good job of delivering devices that can compete against Apple and other high-end manufacturers while also offering better prices.
HP also has opportunities in some categories that could drive more explosive growth. While the excitement surrounding 3D printers cooled considerably from its peak, the company still has a leading position in the space, and it stands to benefit if demand in the category picks up.
The hardware maker also looks conservatively valued.
HPQ PE Ratio data by YCharts
With the stock trading at roughly 4.5 times last year's earnings and 6.3 times this year's expected profits, HP's low earnings multiples and sizable dividend yield could help the stock hold up well if the broader market continues to see turbulent trading in the near term. And if the company's pivot in the computer hardware market continues to be successful, the stock could deliver fantastic capital appreciation in addition to dependable dividend payments.
