A stock market crash is a great time to buy cheap dividend stocks to hold for the long term. If you buy them in an ISA, they could help you get rich and retire early on a tax-free income.
As FTSE 100 companies dump their shareholder payouts due to Covid-19, you need to pick your shares carefully. The following two dividend stocks are holding firm, and could further your retirement plans.
If you add these two solid income stocks to your portfolio today, you could seriously boost your hopes of retiring before State Pension age.
I’d buy this cheap dividend stock
Wealth management business Quilter (LSE: QLT) demerged from South African insurer Old Mutual in June 2018, and has been building a strong UK brand. I was impressed by yesterday’s news that it is pushing ahead with its final dividend and share buyback scheme, despite the coronavirus and stock market crash.
Management said the FTSE 250 group is in a “strong financial position”, holding an impressive £750m in cash. It now wants to put that money to work on behalf of investors.
This is the type of cheap dividend stock you should be looking to buy in a crash. It boasts a healthy balance sheet, no debt worries, and is keen to reward loyal shareholders. Despite these advantages, the crash has hit the Quilter share price almost as hard as much weaker companies, as it fell by 35% to 113p.
Quilter’s assets under management and administration slumped 13.7% to £95.3bn, on 31 March, although the subsequent stock market recovery will have lifted that number. Management is looking to cut costs by up to £30m, through short-term initiatives such as reduced marketing, but the impact of Covid-19 nonetheless remains relatively low.
Better still, the dividend stock currently yields 4.6%, covered 1.6 times by earnings. Quilter is standing by its payout. Let’s hope that will continue.
Another to help you get rich and retire early
I’ve been meaning to highlight FTSE 100 pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca (LSE: AZN) for weeks. You would expect this top dividend stock to perform well in a market crash, especially one triggered by a health issue, but its performance has been notably impressive.
The AstraZeneca share price is a rarity right now, as it has actually climbed during the crisis, trading 3.5% higher than its January peak. Its strong performance has been helped by plans to test its blood cancer drug Calquence as a treatment for Covid-19, although as always, please do not pin all your hopes on a single breakthrough.
Most investors are looking for bargain buys at the moment. However there is a strong case for balancing them with a couple of solid, enduring businesses paying reliable dividends. If you buy today and hold for the long term, top dividend stocks like Quilter and AstraZeneca could help you build wealth and quit the rat race.