The Smartest Dividend Stocks to Buy With $1,000 Right Now

The S&P 500 index is offering investors a tiny 1.2% dividend yield. But you can enjoy significantly higher yields from industry-leading companies in the energy, healthcare, and consumer staples sectors without taking on a substantial amount of risk. Here's why Chevron (NYSE: CVX), Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY), and Clorox (NYSE: CLX) could be the smartest places for you to invest $1,000 right now.Chevron's dividend yield is 4.5%, and the payout has been increased annually for 38 consecutive years. While both of those are exciting numbers, the dividend streak is the more impressive figure. That's because the company operates in the highly volatile energy sector, and it has achieved this streak thanks largely to its elite business model.First, Chevron is diversified across the entire energy value chain. This helps to even out financial performance through the energy cycle. Second, the company has long focused on having a rock-solid balance sheet (the debt-to-equity ratio is a very low 0.22). The company has proved that it not only can survive the ups and downs of commodity prices, but that it also can thrive despite the industry's inherent volatility.Continue readingWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei MotleyFool Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei MotleyFool