3 High-Yield Dividend Stocks to Hold for the Long Haul

This article highlights three high-yield dividend stocks that investors will want to consider buying in 2023. Investors are expecting another volatile year. And owning dividend stocks is a time-honored way to stay invested during market volatility.  

Because these companies pay shareholders a percentage of their profits regularly, these stocks can be a reliable source of income for value investors. And when the market is in a slump, growth investors know that reinvesting dividends is a way to boost your total return. 

That makes a company's dividend yield a key metric for evaluating dividend stocks. But here’s where investors need to be careful. Sometimes a high dividend yield suggests that a company is not using its available cash efficiently. The worst-case scenario can signal that a company is in financial trouble. 

That’s not the case with these three stocks, which each present an intriguing case for investors in 2023.  

This Chip Company's Investments Are Ready to Pay Off

Intel Corporation NASDAQ: INTC - Intel has been an underperformer in the market this year. Shareholders have seen the share price get sliced nearly in half in 2022. Supply chain disruptions and a weakening economy continue to weigh heavily on the semiconductor sector.  

The macroeconomic conditions drowned out Intel’s positive story. Intel is the largest domestic chip maker. That means the company will benefit from the CHIPS Act passed by the U.S. Congress in July 2022. 

The company’s investments to improve its U.S. manufacturing capacity took a heavy bite out of its bottom line. But the company is guiding to better earnings in 2023. If those estimates are correct, it will support analysts’ estimates for a 24% gain in the stock price. And investors continue to get a dividend with a 5.58% yield.  

Fears About this Company's Dividend May be Overstated

AT&T Inc. NYSE: T - AT&T may seem like a curious choice for this list. The company's heavy debt load has caused some investors to consider it a dividend trap. But, while the concerns about the company’s debt have merit, it will not be made worse by rising interest rates. 

AT&T has recently proposed to form a joint venture with Blackrock Inc. NYSE: BLK that would allow AT&T to essentially lease fiber-optic networks from Blackrock, which would, in turn, fund the rollout. This would help bring broadband to an estimated 1.5 million customers in underserved markets. And it would give AT&T a growth path that wouldn’t interrupt its plans to deleverage. 

Assuming that’s true, the company’s dividend, which currently pays a yield of 6%, looks safe. Analysts are projecting a stock price growth of 20% in 2022.  

Here's Where to Invest if the Energy Sector Remains Strong

Energy Transfer LP NYSE: ET - If you’re looking for a more traditional high-yield dividend stock, you may find Energy Transfer very appealing. The company operates as a master limited partnership, ensuring investors of a predictable dividend.  

However, ET stock may increase if you believe the energy sector will remain strong in 2023. The company operates midstream with natural gas and crude oil assets in 41 states and Canada. Many analysts forecast that demand for crude oil will rise, which means higher oil prices.  

All of that works in favor of a company like Energy Transfer. And analysts are forecasting a 17% rise in earnings for the company in 2023. Add a dividend yield of 8.96%, and Energy Transfer looks like a strong buy for investors.