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2 “Strong Buy” Dividend Stocks Yielding at Least 7%

A number of factors are coming together in the market picture, and indicate a possible change in conditions in the mid-term. These include increases in commodity prices, specifically, oil prices, which have rallied recently. In addition, the January jobs numbers, released earlier this month, were disappointing at best – and grim, at worst. They, do, however, increase the chance that President Biden and the Democratic Congress will push a large-scale COVID relief package through to fruition. These factors are likely to pull in varying directions. The rise in oil prices suggests an upcoming squeeze in supply, while the possibility of further stimulus cash bodes well for fans of market liquidity. These developments, however, point toward a possible price reflationary climate. Against this backdrop, some investors are looking for ways to rebuild and defend their portfolios. And that will bring us to dividends. By providing a steady income stream, no matter what the market conditions, a reliable dividend stock provides a pad for your investment portfolio when the share stop appreciating. And so, we’ve opened up the TipRanks database and pulled the details on two stocks with high yields – at least 7%. Even better, these stocks are seen as Strong Buys by Wall Street’s analysts. Let’s find out why. Williams Companies (WMB) The first stock we’ll look at is Williams Companies, a natural gas processing firm based in Oklahoma. Williams controls pipelines for natural gas, natural gas liquids, and oil gathering, in a network stretching from the Pacific Northwest, through the Rockies to the Gulf Coast, and across the South to the Mid-Atlantic. Williams’ core business is the processing and transport of natural gas, with crude oil and energy generation as secondary operations. The company’s footprint is huge – it handles almost one-third of all natural gas use in the US, both residential and commercial. Williams will report its 4Q20 results late this month – but a look at the Q3 results is informative. The company reported $1.93 billion at the top line, down 3.5% year-over-year but up 8.4% quarter-over-quarter, and the highest quarterly revenue so far released for 2020. Net earnings came in at 25 cents per share, flat from Q2 but up 38% year-over-year. The report was widely held as meeting or exceeding expectations, and the stock gained 7% in the two weeks after it was released. In a move that may indicate a solid Q4 earnings on the way, the company declared its next dividend, to be paid out on March 29. The 41-cent per common share payment is up 2.5% from the previous quarter, and annualizes to $1.64. At that rate, the dividend yields 7.1%. Williams has a 4-year history of dividend growth and maintenance, and typically raises the payment in the first quarter of the year. Covering the stock for RBC, 5-star analyst TJ Schultz wrote: “We believe Williams can hit the low-end of…