Buy 5 High Dividend-Paying Giants to Stay Safe Amid Volatile Markets

Wall Street has remained volatile in 2025 due to the highly overstretched valuation of U.S. stocks, sticky inflation, several weak economic data, geopolitical conflicts and severe concerns related to the Trump administration’s tariff and trade policies. Moreover, the Fed’s ambiguity over further rate cuts in 2025, concerns of a near-term recession and the availability of a low-cost Chinese AI platform have unnerved investors resulting in volatile trading.At this stage, it should be prudent to invest in stocks of high dividend-paying corporate bigwigs. These firms generally have a strong financial position, robust business model and globally acclaimed brand value. Further, their regular dividend payment will act as income stream during market fluctuations. Five such corporate behemoths with a favorable Zacks Rank are: Philip Morris International Inc. PM, CVS Health Corp. CVS, Energy Transfer LP ET, GSK plc GSK and NatWest Group plc NWG. Each of our picks carries either a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.The chart below shows the price performance of our five picks in the past three months.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchPhilip Morris International Inc.Zacks Rank #1 Philip Morris has benefited from strong pricing power and an expanding smoke-free product portfolio. PM has been making significant progress on its smoke-free transition, with products like IQOS and ZYN contributing to strong performance. In fact, PM aims to become substantially smoke-free by 2030.Philip Morris is set for another year of robust growth in 2025, driven by increasing demand across all product categories. PM anticipates positive volume growth for the fifth consecutive year, with an expected increase of 2%. Smoke-free products remain a key growth driver, projected to expand by 12-14%, reinforcing PM’s strategic shift toward reduced-risk alternatives.Philip Morris has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 8.1% and 13.7%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 4.6% over the last 60 days. PM has a current dividend-yield of 3.01%.CVS Health Corp.Zacks Rank #2 CVS Health is investing in advanced technological capabilities to cut down costs and improve customer experience. Improved Medicare Advantage star ratings for the 2025 payment year are a positive development for CVS. To stay competitive, CVS regularly reviews its national footprint, planning to close 271 stores and save more than $500 million in 2025. Oak Street Health continues to demonstrate strong patient growth, boosting the Healthcare delivery business. In Pharmacy and Consumer Wellness, CVS maintains a strong retail pharmacy script share position despite the reduced store count.CVS Health has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 3.7% and 12.6%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 3.6% over the last 30 days. CVS has a current dividend-yield of 4.34%.Energy Transfer LPZacks Rank #2 Energy Transfer is poised to benefit from long-term fee-based commitments. Nearly 90% of its earnings are from fee-based contracts and 10% from commodity and spread exposure. ET is also focused on expanding operations through organic and inorganic initiatives. ET is looking for solutions to meet growing energy demands from additional demand centers through its pipeline network. ET’s systematic investments should boost its total fractionation capacity at Mont Belvieu and raise its top line.ET is expected to maintain its well-balanced growth strategy, which includes internal expansion, strategic acquisitions, actions to boost the profitability of its existing assets, and, where necessary, the use of cost-control measures to manage its operations. By taking additional measures to improve utilization, lowering costs through improved operations, and adding new volumes under long-term producer agreements, ET seeks to improve the profitability of the existing asset base. Energy Transfer has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 18.2% and 12.5%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 2.9% over the last 30 days. ET has a current dividend-yield of 7.30%.GSK plcZacks Rank #2 GSK enjoys a strong position in HIV and Vaccines therapeutic areas. GSK is witnessing increased sales growth of the Specialty Medicines unit, particularly reflecting successful new launches in Oncology and of long-acting HIV medicines. GSK has some promising new products in Specialty Medicines like cancer drugs, Ojjaara and Jemperli. Sales are also improving in its General Medicines unit.GSK’s key products like Nucala (four IL-5 medicated conditions), Trelegy Ellipta (three medicines in a single inhaler to treat COPD), Juluca (dolutegravir+ rilpivirine once-daily, single pill for HIV) and Dovato (dolutegravir + lamivudine in a single tablet for HIV) have witnessed considerable success and have become key drivers of top-line growth.GSK has increased R&D investment in promising new long-acting and specialty medicines in Respiratory, Immunology & Inflammation, Oncology and HIV areas. The company has 70 assets in clinical development.GSK has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 5.1% and 6.7%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 0.7% over the last seven days. GSK has a current dividend-yield of 4.28%.NatWest Group plcZacks Rank #1 NatWest Group provides banking and financial products and services to personal, commercial, corporate, and institutional customers in the United Kingdom and internationally. NWG operates through Retail Banking, Private Banking, and Commercial & Institutional segments. NWG provides personal and business banking, consumer loans, asset and invoice finances, commercial and residential mortgages, credit cards and financial planning services, as well as life, personal and income protection insurance.NatWest Group has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 20.1% and 17.3%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 6.8% over the last 30 days. NWG has a current dividend-yield of 5.41%.Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double"Our team of experts has just released the 5 stocks with the greatest probability of gaining +100% or more in the coming months. Of those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights the one stock set to climb highest.This top pick is among the most innovative financial firms. With a fast-growing customer base (already 50+ million) and a diverse set of cutting edge solutions, this stock is poised for big gains. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners UpWant the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report GSK PLC Sponsored ADR (GSK): Free Stock Analysis Report Philip Morris International Inc. (PM): Free Stock Analysis Report CVS Health Corporation (CVS): Free Stock Analysis Report Energy Transfer LP (ET): Free Stock Analysis Report NatWest Group plc (NWG): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks