Prediction: These 3 High-Yield Oil Companies Just Secretly Moved to Secure Their Dividends

It's no secret that the market has lost interest in oil stocks over the past year. Indeed, all three stocks covered here -- namely, Devon Energy (NYSE: DVN), Diamondback Energy (NASDAQ: FANG), and Vitesse Energy (NYSE: VTS) -- have declined over the last year. As such, they now trade with excellent dividend yields or attractive price-to-free cash flow (FCF) multiples.

Moreover, I think there's a strong possibility that all three companies have recently moved to reduce risk and secure their dividends. Here's why.

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The oil price environment in the first half

Israel's attack on Iran sent the price of oil spiking higher, as investors priced in the risk of ongoing instability in a critically crucial oil-producing region. However, before going into how oil companies responded to this, it's worth putting the move into context.

Image source: Getty Images.

The spike occurred after a few months of oil trading in the low-to-mid-$60 per-barrel range. In addition, sentiment toward oil turned negative following a slower economic growth outlook (due to tariff escalations and ongoing geopolitical tensions) and OPEC's decision to increase production.

WTI Crude Oil Spot Price data by YCharts

There's little doubt that sentiment turned negative after events in the spring. For example, Vitesse implemented a 32% cut in its planned capital expenditures and deferred completion of a couple of wells "in response to current commodity price volatility to preserve returns and maintain financial flexibility." Diamondback cut its planned 2025 capital expenditures to $3.4 billion to $3.8 billion from a previous range of $3.8 billion to $4.2 billion.

While Devon didn't make any adjustments in connection with the commodity price environment, management noted, "With the ongoing market and price volatility, Devon will continue to monitor the macro environment and has significant flexibility to adjust its activity and capital programs" on its earnings release in early May.

What happened after the recent oil price spike

According to numerous reports, the attack on Iran on June 13 triggered a record amount of hedging volumes through Aegis Hedging Solutions. This company assists commodity companies with their hedging strategies. While some of it was possibly oil companies looking to get exposure to potentially higher prices, the likelihood is that it was independent oil companies taking advantage of the spike to hedge their near-term production.

Image source: Getty Images.

As we've already seen, all three companies have either cut their capital spending plans or are monitoring events with the option to do so. In addition, they all utilize hedging as an integral part of their capital allocation strategy, ensuring returns to investors through dividends and share buybacks.

Hedging strategies and dividends

While we won't know for sure until they release their second-quarter earnings, all three are strong candidates to have taken part in the rush to hedge their oil production.

Hedging is an integral part of Vitesse's strategy, which enables it to maintain its $2.25-per-share dividend (current yield: 10%). As of the end of March, Vitesse had 61% of its remaining oil production hedged at an average price of $70.75 per barrel. Look for that figure to increase, or at least an increase in 2026 production volumes hedged.

Diamondback is a conservatively run oil company that uses hedging to ensure its base dividend of $4 per share (currently equivalent to a yield of 2.9%). As of May, it had downside protection in place to $55 a barrel. In other words, at any price of oil above $55, Diamondback has upside exposure to the price of oil.

The strategy is to enable cash flow to return to investors through a variable dividend or share buybacks, in addition to the base dividend. Again, look for Diamondback to have increased hedging activity in the quarter.

As of the first quarter, Devon Energy had more than 25% of its expected 2025 oil production hedged. With that hedging in place, management estimates it will generate $1.9 billion in FCF at a price of oil of $50 per barrel, $2.6 billion at $60 per barrel, and $3.3 billion at $70 per barrel. These figures easily cover its fixed dividend of $0.96 per share (about $650 million in cash). With increased hedging in place, the fixed dividend (currently yielding almost 3%) will be even more secure.

Image source: Getty Images.

Stocks to buy for investors looking for passive income

In particular, Diamondback's and Devon's dividends look very secure, and both have the potential to increase their discretionary dividends, make more share buybacks, or pay down debt. If I'm right, and they, and Vitesse, took advantage of the oil price spike, then passive income investors can sleep even sounder in the knowledge that their dividend income is safe.

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Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Vitesse Energy. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.