Dividend stocks are a favorite among investors for good reason. They provide a steady income stream of passive income and offer a promising avenue for total return. Total return, a comprehensive measure of investment performance, encompasses interest, capital gains, dividends, and distributions realized over time. Here at 247 Wall St., we consistently emphasize the power of total return to our readers. This strategy can significantly boost your overall investing success. Total return is the combined increase in a stock’s value and dividends.

The Magnificent 7 led the stock market higher for almost two and a half years. While they all will continue to be the leaders in a technology world that continues to grow and expand with the continuing adaptation of artificial intelligence and its immense potential, the reality is the group is overbought. Except for Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) and Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), they also seem to have hit a temporary wall this year. While their dominance should stay firmly in place, it may be time to take some profits and shift to dividend-paying blue chip leaders.

Blue chip stocks are shares of large, well-known companies that are financially stable and have a history of reliable performance. They are often considered less risky and are a popular choice for long-term investors. Plus, almost all the leaders in the category pay dependable recurring dividends each quarter regardless of the state of the economy. The term “blue chip” comes from poker, where the blue chip holds the highest value.

Four top companies that all pay at least a 4% dividend are on sale and make sense for investors who may be worried about increased volatility in the stock market. All are rated Buy at the top Wall Street firms we cover here at 24/7.

Why do we cover blue chip dividend stocks?

Blue chip dividend stocks provide investors with reliable streams of passive income. Passive income is characterized by its ability to generate revenue without requiring the earner’s continuous active effort, making it a desirable financial strategy for those seeking to diversify their income streams or achieve financial independence.

AT&T

The legacy telecommunications company has been undergoing a lengthy restructuring while lowering its dividend, which still stands at 4.18%. AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) provides worldwide telecommunications, media, and technology services. Its Communications segment offers wireless voice and data communications services.

AT&T sells through its company-owned stores, agents, and third-party retail stores:

• Handsets
• Wireless data cards
• Wireless computing devices
• Carrying cases
• Hands-free devices

AT&T also provides:

• Data
• Voice
• Security
• Cloud solutions
• Outsourcing
• Managed and professional services
• Customer premises equipment for multinational corporations, small and mid-sized businesses, and governmental and wholesale customers.

In addition, this segment offers residential customers broadband fiber and legacy telephony voice communication services.

It markets its communications services and products under:

• AT&T
• Cricket
• AT&T PREPAID
• AT&T Fiber

The company’s Latin America segment provides wireless services in Mexico and video services in Latin America. This segment markets its services and products under the AT&T and Unefon brands.

Bristol-Myers Squibb

This top company remains a solid pharmaceutical stock to own long-term, offering an outstanding entry point and a massive 4.32% dividend. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE: BMY) discovers, develops, licenses, manufactures, and markets pharmaceutical products worldwide.

The company offers products in:

• Hematology
• Oncology
• Cardiovascular
• Immunology therapeutic classes

Bristol-Myers Squibb products include:

• Revlimid, an oral immunomodulatory drug for the treatment of multiple myeloma
• Opdivo for anti-cancer indications
• Eliquis, an oral inhibitor indicated for the reduction in risk of stroke/systemic embolism in NVAF and for the treatment of DVT/PE
• Orencia for adult patients with active RA and psoriatic arthritis, as well as reducing signs and symptoms in pediatric patients with active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis

The company also provides:

• Sprycel for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma
• Abraxane, a protein-bound chemotherapy product
• Implicit for the treatment of multiple myeloma
• Reblozyl for the treatment of anemia in adult patients with beta-thalassemia

Chevron

This integrated giant is a safer option for investors looking to position themselves in the energy sector. It has a sweet 4.20% dividend, which has just been increased by 5%. Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) engages in integrated energy and chemicals operations worldwide through its subsidiaries. It operates in two segments.

The Upstream segment is involved in the following:

• Exploration, development, production, and transportation of crude oil and natural gas
• Processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas
• Transportation of crude oil through pipelines, and transportation, storage
• Marketing of natural gas, as well as operating a gas-to-liquids plant

The Downstream segment engages in:

• Refining crude oil into petroleum products
• Marketing crude oil, refined products, and lubricants
• Manufacturing and marketing renewable fuels
• Transporting crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car
• Manufacturing and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses, and fuel and lubricant additives

It also involves cash management, debt financing, insurance operations, real estate, and technology businesses.

Chevron announced in the fall of 2023 that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Hess Corp. (NYSE: HES) to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Hess in an all-stock transaction valued at $53 billion, or $171 per share based on Chevron’s closing price on October 20, 2023. Under the terms of the agreement, Hess shareholders will receive 1.0250 shares of Chevron for each Hess share. The transaction’s total enterprise value, including debt, is $60 billion. It should finally close this summer.

Dominion Energy

Many of the Wall Street firms we cover are still positive on utilities despite the sharp move higher over the past year, and this company pays a strong 4.68% dividend. Dominion Energy Inc. (NYSE: D) operates through four segments:

• Dominion Energy Virginia
• Gas Distribution
• Dominion Energy South Carolina
• Contracted Assets

The Dominion Energy Virginia segment generates, transmits, and distributes regulated electricity to residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental customers in Virginia and North Carolina.

The Gas Distribution segment engages in:

• Regulated natural gas gathering
• Transportation
• Distribution and sales activities
• Distributes nonregulated renewable natural gas

This segment serves residential, commercial, and industrial customers.

The Dominion Energy South Carolina segment generates, transmits, and distributes electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers in South Carolina.

The company’s portfolio of assets included approximately:

• 30.2 gigawatts of electric generating capacity
• 10,500 miles of electric transmission lines
• 85,600 miles of electric distribution lines
• 94,200 miles of gas distribution lines
• Dominion serves approximately 7 million customers

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