When most people consider investing in tech stocks, buying high-yield dividend payers is usually not high on the list of criteria. That’s because tech stocks tend to be volatile, fast-growing (and often yet-to-be-profitable) companies. The businesses underlying most dividend stocks typically have a more stable, steadily growing profile. They also generate ample cash flows to support their payouts.
But on occasion, investors do come across the occasional tech stock that pays you well for the privilege of owning it and has price appreciation potential as well. Here are three high-yield tech stocks worth considering right now.
1. Texas Instruments: A semiconductor giant positioned for a rebound
With its stock down around 10% over the past year and a dividend yielding 3.4% annually as of this writing, semiconductor giant Texas Instruments (TXN) is a fantastic bet for yield-hungry investors anticipating a rebound. In fact, Texas Instruments’ stock price rebound may already be underway. Despite briefly falling to a fresh 52-week low late last month after the company posted disappointing quarterly results, shares have bounced back nicely in recent weeks as traders seemingly bet the worst could be over.
Indeed, Texas Instruments’ third-quarter report left plenty to be desired; Revenue fell 14% year over year to $4.53 billion — hurt by broad weakness in the industrial sector — while net income declined 26% to just over $1.7 billion, or $1.85 per share. Guidance for the current fourth quarter calls for roughly similar year-over-year declines.
At the same time, however, Texas Instruments remains solidly cash-flow positive, generating operating cash flow of more than $1.9 billion and free cash flow of $442 million last quarter. And the company just increased its quarterly cash dividend by 5% to $1.30 per share, marking its 20th straight year of consecutive dividend increases, starting with its Nov. 14 payout.
Noting the chip industry is incredibly cyclical by nature, Texas Instruments plans to continue investing around $5 billion per year toward new chip-fabrication plants through 2026 to meet projected demand as the sector inevitably rebounds.
During their third-quarter conference call, Texas Instruments’ head of investor relations, Dave Pahl even mused: “[T]he best time to be preparing for the upturn is before it shows up. So that’s what we’ve been busy doing, and we think we’re in a great position to support the next upturn and to continue to gain share.”
For patient investors willing to buy now and collect that dividend in the meantime, I think Texas Instruments stock remains a bargain today.
2. Qualcomm: A compelling AI play
Share prices of fellow chip titan Qualcomm (QCOM) are up around 8% over the past year, helped by a recent bounce on the heels of its own seemingly disappointing quarterly update on Nov. 1. Qualcomm’s fiscal fourth-quarter revenue (for the period ended Sept. 24) similarly declined 24% year over year, hurt by a cyclical downturn in consumer electronics sales since the pandemic, while adjusted (non-GAAP) net income per share plunged 35%.
Yet Qualcomm CEO Christiano Amon insisted during the quarterly call that the company remains “pleased with [its] roadmap and product execution, which position us well across our businesses.”
Indeed, Qualcomm’s products continue to find their way into the world’s most popular devices. The company recently extended its supply agreement with Apple in September to provide its Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF Systems for new iPhones through 2026, for example. And at their recent Snapdragon Summit, management detailed new products that should position Qualcomm at the center of enabling smartphones to run next-generation on-device generative AI solutions.
With a dividend yielding 2.5% annually as of this writing — and assuming Qualcomm remains well positioned to capitalize on an impending cyclical rebound in smartphone sales — I think Qualcomm stock offers an excellent balance between a juicy dividend and potential continued share-price appreciation.
3. Corning: A historically high 4% yield
Finally, specialty-glass maker Corning (GLW) boasts an incredible 4% annual dividend payout — a percentage yield only previously surpassed once in company history, when it hit 4.6% during Corning’s post-pandemic lows in March 2020.
Corning has similarly endured cyclically low demand for its products in recent quarters. Core sales in the third quarter of 2023 fell 6% year over year to $3.46 billion, and net income declined 12% to $386 million, or $0.45 per share.
But Corning has wisely embraced the latest downturn to focus on improving profitability and cash flows. Core gross margin expanded by 90 basis points year over year last quarter to 37%, thanks to favorable pricing initiatives and productivity gains, while free cash flow nearly doubled over the same period to $466 million.
“Our markets continue to reflect demand below trend lines, but our sales will recover, and we will return to growth,” explained Corning Chairman and CEO Wendell Weeks.
Best of all, when Corning’s markets eventually recover, Corning will emerge even stronger by serving its customers using existing manufacturing capacity with improved pricing and lower costs.
In the end, as its markets recover and its share price follows suit, I fear Corning’s historically high dividend won’t be available for much longer.
— Steve Symington
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Source: The Motley Fool