Everyone should love passive income and want to accumulate as much of it as possible. Getting money for doing nothing is why dividend stocks are popular and why holding those types of investments can lead to significant returns.
Imagine investing $50,000 in a group of stocks or an exchange-traded fund that pays a yield of 5% every year. Even without any increases to the payout over a 30-year period, that would result in $75,000 in dividend income for your portfolio -- with zero effort required. And that doesn't factor in the gains you might also accumulate from owning those investments.
Two stocks that pay even more than 5% and are great options for you today include CareTrust REIT (NYSE: CTRE) and Camping World Holdings (NYSE: CWH). Investing just $30,000 across these two stocks would be enough to earn you at least $2,000 in passive income each year.
1. CareTrust -- $10,000
CareTrust is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that pays a yield of 5.2% today. Investing $10,000 into the stock would generate approximately $520 in annual dividends. That's a great yield when you consider that the S&P 500 average is just 1.7% -- with that type of investment, you would only be collecting $170 in annual dividends on the same size investment.
What's appealing about CareTrust is that because it's a REIT, it needs to pay out at least 90% of its earnings back to investors. And with the company focusing on a fairly stable industry like healthcare (the bulk of which is skilled nursing facilities), it isn't as risky as a REIT that holds residential properties or invests in malls where there can be a lot more volatility.
And that consistency was evident in the company's most recent earnings report. CareTrust reported earnings per share of $0.21 for the period ended June 30, which was only slightly less than the $0.22 it posted in the prior-year period.
But the company assesses its dividend based on normalized funds from operations (FFO), a metric that REITs use that excludes amortization and other non-cash expenses. Last quarter, CareTrust's normalized FFO was $0.37, which is less than its quarterly dividend of $0.275. Its payout ratio based on FFO was 74%, which suggests the dividend is sustainable.
Year to date, CareTrust's stock is down 6%, which is better than the S&P's 14% decline. And while it may not beat the market every year, the healthcare stock looks to be a safe option for investors who just want to accumulate passive income for the long haul.
2. Camping World Holdings -- $20,000
Camping World buys and sells recreational vehicles. It also sells a variety of camping supplies, including coolers, tents, generators, and other products. It has 185-plus locations in 42 states, giving it a wide reach to serve camping enthusiasts across the country. It also makes for a fantastic dividend stock.
At 8.1%, its dividend yield today is actually lower than it was just a few months ago because the stock has rallied since then. Investing $20,000 into this stock would generate approximately $1,620 in annual dividend income for you. Add in the $520 from the CareTrust investment, and you would collect $2,140 each year.
While the higher cost of new vehicles chipped away at Camping World's gross margin in the second quarter, the company still reported a diluted per-share profit of $2.01 for the period ended June 30. That's nearly enough in one quarter to cover how much Camping World pays in dividends per share over the course of a full year -- $2.50. If it were to maintain that level of profitability, its payout ratio would be around 30% of net income. Camping World's business is doing incredibly well, with the company reporting its best Q2 numbers ever as sales topped $2.2 billion for the period (representing a year-over-year growth rate of 5.2%).
Inflationary pressures in the economy could work in Camping World's favor because as consumers tighten their budgets, camping may be a cost-effective option for people looking to vacation without having to spend excessive amounts on air travel and hotels. There's little worry about Camping World's business right now, and that's why it could make for a top dividend stock to buy and hold.
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David Jagielski has positions in Camping World Holdings. The Motley Fool recommends Camping World Holdings and recommends the following options: short September 2022 $27 puts on Camping World Holdings. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
