Enbridge Pays a Dividend That's Never Missed a Beat in 70 Years. Here's Why That Won't Change.

Enbridge (NYSE: ENB) has been a very durable dividend stock over the years. The Canadian pipeline and utility company has paid a dividend for over 70 years and increased its payment for 31 consecutive years (in Canadian dollars).

That streak won't end anytime soon. Here's why income investors will want to invest in Enbridge.

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Built on a strong foundation

Enbridge raised its dividend by 3% last December, extending its streak to 31 straight years. That's one of the longest streaks in the energy sector. It's a testament to the durability of the company's business model and the strength of its growth profile. At its current payment rate and stock price, Enbridge yields nearly 5.5%, well above the S&P 500's roughly 1% yield.

The pipeline and utility company has one of the lowest-risk business models in the energy sector. It has diversified, high-quality income streams, as more than 98% of its earnings come from regulated rate structures or take-or-pay contracts with investment-grade counterparties (over 95%). It has negligible exposure to commodity price volatility (less than 1%), and 80% of its earnings are inflation-protected. Enbridge's earnings are so stable and predictable that it has achieved its annual financial guidance for 20 straight years.

Enbridge also has a conservative dividend payout ratio (60% to 70% of its stable cash flows) and a rock-solid investment-grade balance sheet. That provides it with over 10 billion Canadian dollars ($7.2 billion) of annual investment capacity.

Visible growth coming down the pipeline

Enbridge expects to grow its cash flow per share by about 3.5% at the midpoint of its guidance range this year, driven by strong market conditions and recently completed expansion projects. It anticipates that its growth rate will accelerate to around 5% annually beyond 2026. That should support annual dividend growth of up to 5%.

The company supports that outlook with a robust backlog of expansion projects. Enbridge ended the second quarter with CA$41 billion ($29.5 billion) in secured projects that should enter commercial service through 2033. Its projects include oil pipeline expansions, a carbon dioxide hub, new gas pipelines, utility expansion projects, and several renewable energy projects. The company has approved CA$9 billion ($6.5 billion) in new capital projects this year, putting it on track to meet its target of securing CA$10 billion–CA$20 billion ($7.2 billion–$14.4 billion) of new projects in the 2026-2027 time frame. That seems easily achievable, as the company is progressing on more than CA$10 billion ($7.2 billion) in additional near-term opportunities in its gas transmission segment alone. Securing additional projects would further enhance its long-term growth profile.

An ideal income stock

Enbridge's durable cash flows and conservative financial profile support its high-yielding dividend. Meanwhile, with a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar backlog, it has visible earnings growth ahead to support continued dividend increases, extending its more than seven decades of payments. These features make Enbridge a foundation income investment to anchor a portfolio.

Matt DiLallo has positions in Enbridge. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Enbridge. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.