Inflation, rates of interest, and recession – these are the bogeymen of investing, and so they’ve been watching over our shoulders for the previous a number of months. Everyone knows the story by now, the speed of inflation is working at generational highs, the Federal Reserve is climbing charges in an try to push again towards excessive costs, and we’re in a technical recession after two quarters of destructive GDP development. At a time like this, buyers are exhibiting a rising curiosity find sturdy defensive portfolio strikes.

It is a mindset that naturally turns us towards dividend shares. These are the standard defensive funding performs, providing regular payouts to shareholders that assure an earnings stream whether or not markets go up or down. The perfect dividend shares will mix a excessive common payout with a stable share appreciation potential, giving buyers the perfect of each worlds in relation to returns.

Wall Avenue’s analysts have been searching for simply such investments, and have picked out a number of; utilizing the TipRanks database, we’ve pulled up the main points on two of those shares – which might be providing dividend yields of 13% or higher. That’s greater than sufficient, by itself, to guarantee a optimistic actual charge of return, however every of those shares additionally brings a double-digit upside potential to the desk. Let’s take a better look.

Angel Oak Mortgage (AOMR)

First up is Angel Oak Mortgage, a residential actual property financing firm structured as an actual property funding belief (REIT) and targeted on offering non-QM loans and different specialised mortgage options for brokers and debtors who would possibly in any other case have problem accessing the wanted capital. The corporate makes use of a tech primarily based utility platform permitting for paperless submissions and straightforward monitoring. Angel Oak is without doubt one of the largest non-bank, non-QM mortgage originators, and operates in 45 states.

The corporate’s revenues rose by Q1 of this 12 months, however pulled again in Q2. The highest line of $42 million was down 20% from Q1, however was up tremendously from the $1.9 million recorded in 2Q21. On earnings, the corporate reported a GAAP lack of $52 million, or $2.13 per diluted widespread share – but additionally reported distributable earnings of 90 cents per widespread share. That final quantity is essential, because it helps the dividend.

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The dividend right here is beneficiant. Angel Oak pays out 45 cents per widespread share, which annualizes to $1.80, is ready for fee on the finish of this month. At its present charge, the dividend yields 13.8%, nicely forward of the inflation charge, most lately reported at 8.5%.

Wells Fargo analyst Donald Fandetti covers AOMR, and likes what he sees. Fandetti notes that distributable earnings got here in nicely forward of his personal estimates, and writes of the corporate: “The non-QM mortgage market went by fairly a troublesome interval in Q2, although it has improved a very good bit over the previous few weeks with the execution of a number of trade securitizations. Whereas the economics on AOMR’s July securitization had been weak, it is a optimistic from a financing danger perspective. Thankfully, guide worth may rebound if credit score spreads tighten in H2’22. Whereas the credit score markets stay unsure… we see engaging secular development within the non-QM mortgage market. And the dividend yield is [>13%], which we imagine is sustainable regardless of the credit score market pressures.”

Going together with these feedback, Fandetti charges AOMR an Chubby (i.e. Purchase), and his $15 value goal suggests {that a} one-year achieve of 18% lies forward. Based mostly on the present dividend yield and the anticipated value appreciation, the inventory has ~27% potential whole return profile. (To look at Fandetti’s observe file, click on right here)

Total, there are three current analyst opinions on file for this inventory, and so they embrace 2 Buys and 1 Maintain – for a Average Purchase consensus score. The inventory is priced at $12.98 and its $16 common value goal implies ~26% upside on the one-year horizon. (See AOMR inventory forecast on TipRanks)

MFA Monetary (MFA)

The second inventory we’re is MFA Monetary, one other specialty finance firm in the actual property house. MFA is structured as a REIT, a category of firm’s lengthy identified for his or her high-yielding dividends. MFA’s portfolio consists primarily of residential complete loans, residential and industrial actual property securities, and MSR-related property. On the finish of 1H22, the corporate’s mortgage portfolio totaled nicely over $Eight billion.

MFA noticed a internet curiosity earnings of $52.6 million in 2Q22, giving a reported GAAP internet lack of $108.6 million for the quarter, or $1.06 per share. On the non-GAAP measure of distributable earnings, the corporate registered a optimistic $47.2 million, or 46 cents per widespread share. The distributable earnings supported MFA’s common quarterly dividend.

In mid-June, MFA declared a 44-cent common dividend, which was paid out on the finish of July. This marked the third quarter in a row that the dividend has been paid out at that degree, and continues the corporate’s post-COVID dedication to regularly enhance the fee. MFA in the reduction of its dividend to simply 20 cents per share within the September 2020 quarter, and has raised it three occasions since then.

The present dividend fee annualizes to $1.76 per widespread share, and is absolutely supported by the distributable earnings per share. The annualized dividend yields a formidable 15.4%, far forward of the present charge of inflation.

5-star analyst Stephen Legal guidelines, from Raymond James, sees the dividend as a key attraction for this inventory, and writes, “We’re growing our 2022 distributable earnings estimate by $0.08 per share to $1.95 per share, primarily to replicate the 2Q beat as our 2H estimates are largely unchanged. For 2023, we’re decreasing our distributable earnings estimate by $0.18 per share to replicate extra conservative portfolio leverage assumptions. We count on MFA to take care of the quarterly dividend of $0.44 per share.”

Legal guidelines’ feedback again up his Outperform (i.e. Purchase) score on the shares, as does his value goal of $15.50, which suggests a stable 38% one-year upside potential. (To look at Legal guidelines’ observe file, click on right here)

“Our Outperform score is predicated on our outlook for engaging portfolio returns and elevated give attention to enterprise function loans in addition to the engaging risk-reward alternative with shares present buying and selling at ~70% of June 30 financial guide worth,” Legal guidelines summed up.

Total, MFA receives a Average Purchase score from the analyst consensus. The inventory has 5 current opinions, together with 2 Buys and three Holds. Shares have a mean value goal of $14.95, which suggests ~34% premium from the $11.19 share value. (See MFA inventory forecast on TipRanks)

To search out good concepts for shares buying and selling at engaging valuations, go to TipRanks’ Finest Shares to Purchase, a newly launched device that unites all of TipRanks’ fairness insights.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed on this article are solely these of the featured analysts. The content material is meant for use for informational functions solely. It is vitally essential to do your personal evaluation earlier than making any funding.