Inflation is operating larger than it has in 40 years, nationwide common gasoline costs simply broke by means of to report highs, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is roiling commodities markets.
Couple all this with the Federal Reserve set to provoke the primary of a number of rate of interest hikes this month, and shares are dealing with pressures they have not seen in a while. But one of many pillars traders can lean on in occasions of upheaval are dividend shares. Their funds present a measure of calm in a sea of turmoil.

Picture supply: Getty Pictures.
Final yr, the asset managers at Hartford Funds launched a report displaying the efficiency of the S&P 500 index each with dividends and with out, going all the way in which again to 1930. It found dividend-paying shares contributed 41% to the whole return of the index over that 90-year interval.
It lined intervals similar to what we’re experiencing now, warfare and recessions, in addition to the so-called “misplaced decade,” the 2000s, when the tech inventory bubble burst, 9/11 occurred, and the housing market crashed. That resulted within the S&P 500 producing adverse returns for traders, however dividend shares truly returned a constructive 1.8%.
Whether or not you are a latest convert to dividend investing or have lengthy seen the worth in proudly owning shares that pay you to carry them, the query stays: Which dividend shares do you purchase?
Merely chasing yield is a dangerous pursuit, since a better yield could point out larger threat — you’ll want to have a look at the enterprise too. This pair of dividend-paying tech shares occur to not solely be stable revenue shares but in addition profit from having nice progress potential as effectively.

Picture supply: Texas Devices.
1. Texas Devices
Chipmaker Texas Devices ( TXN -1.38% ) is not a producer of flashy graphic processors like Nvidia or high-end central processing items like these made by Intel. As a substitute, its chips are the workhorses of trade, the analog and embedded chips utilized by a variety of consumers within the automotive, communications, shopper electronics, and industrial markets.
The no-nonsense semiconductor inventory can be largely shielded from the worldwide pc chip scarcity hobbling a lot of its friends. Over three-quarters of its $18.3 billion in annual income comes from the analog chips which are produced at its personal factories. These have been primarily chargeable for the 27% year-over-year progress recorded.
Texas Devices pays a quarterly dividend of $1.17 per share that at the moment yields 2.8% yearly. It has raised the payout yearly for 18 consecutive years, placing it on observe to turn into a Dividend Aristocrat, or an organization that hikes its dividend for 25 years or extra.
Over the previous three years, it has elevated the dividend at a compounded charge of 17% yearly, higher than the everyday pc inventory and greater than double the speed of the typical Nasdaq firm.
The chipmaker additionally has a stable payout ratio of round 62%, a key metric for dividend traders, because it helps spotlight the sustainability of a dividend. Sustaining the payout can be vital for the corporate, and Texas Instrument chairman, president, and CEO Wealthy Templeton lately stated, “Our dividends and inventory repurchases mirror our continued dedication to return all free money move to our homeowners.”
Of the $8.8 billion in working money move Texas Devices generated in 2021, it returned $4.4 billion price to traders within the type of dividends and inventory buybacks.

Picture supply: Getty Pictures.
2. Apple
Traders sometimes aren’t shopping for Apple ( AAPL -2.39% ) inventory for its dividend. The tech large pays traders $0.88 per share on an annual foundation for a yield of 0.55%. Consider it as juicing your funding.
Apple reintroduced the payout in 2012 after having suspended it in 1995 however since then has constantly elevated the payout yearly. In reality, over the past three years, Apple raised its dividend on common by nearly 23% yearly. And since its payout ratio is beneath 15%, it’s extremely sustainable and has loads of room to be elevated by comparable double-digit charges for years to return.
The tech star had over $37 billion in money burning a gap in its pocket on the finish of January, together with one other $27 billion in short-term investments. Its potential to maintain its finger on the heartbeat of what customers are searching for ensures gross sales will proceed to develop to help its wants for rising shareholder worth.
Apple simply revealed its newest shopper digital merchandise, and it met expectations for a brand new, low-cost however feature-rich iPhone SE 3, an upgraded iPad Air, a macro Mac Mini known as Mac Studio, and a brand new Studio Show.
Analysts preserve writing Apple off, believing the perfect of its days are behind it, however the tech chief manages to repeatedly subvert expectations. With a big, loyal buyer following, primarily due to its stability, consistency, and high quality over time, it has pricing energy few different firms can match.
Briefly, Apple is a dividend tech inventory that you simply purchase for the capital appreciation to return, bolstered by the revenue you get from a rising dividend fee.
This text represents the opinion of the author, who could disagree with the “official” suggestion place of a Motley Idiot premium advisory service. We’re motley! Questioning an investing thesis – even considered one of our personal – helps us all assume critically about investing and make selections that assist us turn into smarter, happier, and richer.