The more uncertain and choppy that the stock market gets, the more investors are looking for the safe haven of dividend stocks.
One dividend stock that should be on investors’ radar is Trinity Capital (NASDAQ:TRIN), which has one of the highest dividend yields on the market.
Trinity is an international alternative asset manager that invests in private growth-oriented companies, specializing in tech lending, equipment financing, life sciences, sponsor finance, and asset-based lending.
Trinity is a business development company (BDC), which, among other things, means that it must distribute at least 90% of its profits to shareholders via high dividends. It is the trade off for tax breaks that BDCs get to invest in and grow companies.
There is a lot more that could be said about the benefits and structure of BDCs but for investors, they are typically excellent dividend stocks. And Trinity is among the best.
Just last week, Trinity declared a dividend of 51 cents per share, marking the 21st straight quarter that it has either maintained or raised its dividend. It has raised its annual dividend every year since it went public in 2021.
12.7% Dividend Yield
Notably, Trinity pays out a ridiculously high dividend yield of 12.7%, with a four-year average yield of 12.16%, according to SeekingAlpha. When you consider the average dividend on the S&P 500 is about 1.8%, and a good dividend yield is considered 3% to 5% — Trinity’s 12% yield is off the charts compared to most stocks.
There are some other BDCs and REITs that have similarly high yields, but Trinity’s dividend and yields have been consistently high and reliable.
“The Company’s objective is to distribute four quarterly dividends in an amount that approximates 90% to 100% of its taxable quarterly income or potential annual income for a particular year in order to qualify for tax treatment as a regulated investment company,” officials said in a press release.
Plus, Trinity typically pays additional supplemental dividends to distribute approximately all its annual taxable income in the year it was earned.
The yield is important because it is the annual dividend paid to shareholders, by percentage, relative to the stock price, which in Trinity’s case is $16 per share.
To illustrate the power of the high 12% yield, a 51 cent per share dividend over four quarters would result in a $2.04 annual dividend per share. On the other hand, a dividend yield of 3.75% on a $16 per share stock would only result in an annual dividend of 60 cents per share – quite a drop from $2.04.
Typically, high-yielding stocks like BDCs and REITs don’t generate as much in capital appreciation, as they are more valued for their high dividends. But Trinity stock has actually performed well this year, up 11% year-to-date and 10% over the past 12 months. That is certainly an added benefit for investors.