Dividend stocks are well represented in my portfolio.
My portfolio performed fairly well over the past year considering the environment. But going forward, I want to achieve double-digit growth over the next 12 months.
For me, dividend stocks are core to this. If I pick wisely, I can be fairly sure that I will receive at least a dividend. If I’m very wise, I can hope to see some upward movement in the share prices too.
Should you invest £1,000 in Direct Line right now?
When investing expert Mark Rogers has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for nearly a decade has provided thousands of paying members with top stock recommendations from the UK and US markets. And right now, Mark thinks there are 6 standout stocks that investors should consider buying. Want to see if Direct Line made the list?
So, let’s take a close look at my top picks.
A safe yield
In 2021, Lloyds (LSE:LLOY) had a dividend coverage ratio of 3.8. This was substantial, and meant that the bank could afford to pay shareholders the stated dividends nearly four times.
Going into 2023, Lloyds will likely continue to benefit from higher interest rates. The bank said the net interest margin (NIM) — essentially the difference between lending and saving rates — was forecast to reach 2.9% by the end of 2022, and it could grow further in 2023.
Lloyds is even earning more interest on its deposits with the Bank of England. Analysts suggest that every 25 basis point hike is worth £200m in interest revenue. To date, this could represent a £2.5bn tailwind in central bank-derived income alone.
I’d also expect to see the share price to push upwards over the next year as the economic environment improves. But in the near term, one risk is that impairment charges could rise due to a possible recession.
I’ve owned Lloyds shares for some time, but have recently bought more. It currently offers a 4.4% yield, and that’s great.
But I also think we could see at least a 5% increase in the share price over the next year. One reason for this is that a discounted cash flow model with a 10-year exit suggests the stock is undervalued.
This is calculated by forecasting cash flow over 10 years, and subtracting a discount rate — reflective of the time value of money. The calculation suggests it’s undervalued by as much as 60%.
A surging resource stock
Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (NYSE:SQM) has a sizeable 8% dividend yield and coverage is around 2.2 — anything above two is considered healthy.
The Chile-based speciality chemicals company focuses on the mining and production of iodine, lithium and other industrial chemicals.
The stock has soared over the past 18 months as lithium prices increased 10-fold. But there’s no reason to assume it won’t continue its bull run.
While the global economy might be slowing down, demand for battery dependent products, particularly electric vehicles (EVs), has remained strong. That’s because demand for lithium is tied to one of the most important economic trends of our generation.
I expect increased competition for resources over the next decade that will translate to higher prices for fuels and metals.
I don’t often buy stocks denominated in US dollars due to currency fluctuations. That’s because an appreciating pound could wipe out some of my gains, which is a clear risk.
But I’m bullish on this miner. I see lithium as a powerful investing theme and I wanted the well-covered 8% yield. That’s why I recently added it to my portfolio.
With an 8% yield and a bit of share price growth, I could achieve my double-digit objective.
