At the top of the list is Pioneer Natural Resources. This independent oil and gas exploration and production company is currently the highest-paying stock in the S&P 500, based on an analysis of trailing 12-month payouts, with a staggering 12% yield.
However, you have to consider that This return included extraordinary dividends and especially after the good results of the last year, which need not last. This energy value is mostly in the Midland Basin of West Texas, and 2022 has certainly been a good year for both production and demand. Pioneer made a payment of $8.57 per share last September and two follow-up payments of more than $5 each.
Second on the list is Devon Energy with a 12-month return of 9.4%. It’s an Oklahoma-based energy company that drills for oil and natural gas in the United States and pays dividends based on the profitability of the fossil fuels it extracts from the ground. It’s had a good run in 2022, but keep in mind that payouts have declined recently, going from $1.55 in August to $1.35 in December and 89 cents in March.
However, Devon only paid $1.97 per share in total dividends through 2021, so this year’s payouts could still be higher than previous years, even if the 2022 peak is unrealistic in the future.
The Altria Group completes the podium with a 12-month return of 8.2%. The company behind Marlboro dominates the US tobacco market and has delivered more than 50 consecutive years of dividend increases to deliver sustainable “risk-off” returns that are attractive to investors.