Volatility has crept back into the picture lately, with bond yields climbing and stocks struggling to hold their footing. In moments like these, chasing growth names that depend on continued market enthusiasm can feel like a riskier bet than usual. That’s often when investors start paying closer attention to companies that pay real, tangible cash back to shareholders regardless of what the broader market is doing.
The good news is that a market pullback doesn’t have to mean settling for mediocre businesses just because they offer a dividend. Several established, well-run companies with long histories of shareholder payouts are currently trading at valuations that look genuinely reasonable, not just cheap because sentiment has soured. For investors looking to add some ballast to a portfolio while still collecting a meaningful income stream, a few names stand out from the crowd right now.
Realty Income (O): Steady Rent Checks From Blue-Chip Tenants
Odds are good you’ve set foot in a Realty Income property without ever noticing the name on the lease. Rather than selling anything directly to shoppers, the company owns the buildings that house well-known retailers such as Home Depot, FedEx, and Tractor Supply. Its triple-net lease agreements push maintenance, insurance, and property tax obligations onto tenants, leaving Realty Income with a clean, predictable revenue stream.
This model has proven remarkably resilient at scale. The portfolio spans nearly 15,600 properties with occupancy hovering near 99%, and management continues hunting for new acquisitions to extend that footprint. The company has built its reputation around consistency, having distributed a dividend every single month since 1994—a streak that recently reached its 135th consecutive increase.
With shares trading around $63 and the company valued near $59 billion, the stock currently yields 5.2%, more than five times what the average S&P 500 company pays out. A P/E ratio north of 50 might raise eyebrows initially, but that measure doesn’t apply cleanly to REITs. Funds from operations is the more relevant number, and against $4.27 per share in trailing FFO, the real multiple comes in closer to 15—a fair price given the reliability on offer.
Clorox (CLX): A Household Name Working Its Way Back
Beyond the bleach that made it a household staple, Clorox’s brand lineup includes Kingsford charcoal, Hidden Valley dressings, and Burt’s Bees. The company hasn’t had an easy stretch recently. A significant cyberattack in 2023 disrupted operations, and subsequent challenges from a CRM system overhaul and persistent inflation further weighed on sales momentum.
There are encouraging signs that the tide is turning, however. Analysts now anticipate a return to sales growth for the current fiscal year after the extended downturn. Trading around $106 per share with a market cap of roughly $13 billion, the stock changes hands at about 22 times earnings—suggesting investors have largely priced in the company’s recent troubles already.
The dividend remains a highlight. Clorox now pays out $5 annually per share, and the stock’s decline has lifted the yield to 4.7%. That payout looks sustainable, backed by $881 million in free cash flow against roughly $600 million spent on dividends last year. With decades of uninterrupted annual increases behind it, Clorox could become an even more compelling holding for income seekers as the business continues stabilizing.
Campbell’s (CPB): Betting on Premium Products to Reignite Growth
Campbell’s portfolio extends well past its iconic soup cans to include V8, Pepperidge Farm, and Rao’s Homemade. Much like Clorox, the company has weathered its own IT-related disruptions that slowed sales, compounded by a broader consumer pivot toward organic and natural food products that has squeezed the packaged food industry as a whole.
Management’s turnaround plan leans heavily on Rao’s, a premium sauce brand rooted in a celebrated New York restaurant. By emphasizing natural ingredients and traditional small-batch cooking methods, the company hopes to command higher prices from shoppers willing to pay for quality.
Shares have slid to multi-year lows, now trading around $23 with a market cap near $6.9 billion, putting the P/E ratio at a notably low 11. That depressed valuation has pushed the dividend yield up to 6.8%, based on an annual payout of $1.56 per share. While a yield that elevated can sometimes signal trouble ahead, the underlying math offers reassurance—diluted earnings per share for the first nine months of fiscal 2026 came in at $1.55, nearly covering the dividend outlay in full. That coverage makes a near-term cut unlikely, positioning Campbell’s as a reasonable choice for investors prioritizing income during this stretch of market turbulence.
