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3 Magnificent S&P 500 Dividend Stocks Down 36% to 64% to Buy and Hold Forever
AESAES(AES) The Motley Fool·2025-02-24 12:00

Group 1: Ford Motor Company - The automobile industry is facing significant changes, with declining car ownership and longer-lasting vehicles impacting traditional manufacturers like Ford [2][4] - Ford's U.S. market share in the electric vehicle sector is only 8.7%, trailing behind competitors such as Tesla, General Motors, Hyundai, and Kia [3] - Ford's stock has underperformed, down 64% from its early 2022 peak, and is currently priced at levels not seen since 1995, indicating a lack of growth prospects [4] - Despite stagnant growth, Ford offers a forward-looking dividend yield of 6.5% based on a quarterly payment of 0.15pershare,whichisattractivecomparedtosimilarlyriskyinvestments[5]Thestocksforwardlookingprice/earningsratioislowat5.5,suggestingpotentialvaluedespitethecompanyslimitedgrowth[6]Group2:MerckMercksstockhasdeclined360.15 per share, which is attractive compared to similarly risky investments [5] - The stock's forward-looking price/earnings ratio is low at 5.5, suggesting potential value despite the company's limited growth [6] Group 2: Merck - Merck's stock has declined 36% since its peak last March, primarily due to disappointing quarterly results and increased competition for its diabetes treatments and HPV vaccine [7][8] - Sales for diabetes treatments Januvia and Janumet fell 33% last year, but they represent less than 4% of Merck's total revenue, while Gardasil accounts for over 13% and has shown flat sales in 2024 [9] - Keytruda, Merck's flagship cancer drug, saw an 18% increase in sales to 29.5 billion, making up 46% of total revenue, with potential for further growth as it enters additional clinical trials [10] - Merck has a history of developing new blockbusters and has secured rights to promising immunotherapy projects, indicating potential for future growth [11][12] - The company has raised its dividend payments for 14 consecutive years, with a forward-looking dividend yield of just under 3.9% [13] Group 3: AES Corporation - AES Corporation's stock is down 64% from its late-2022 peak, leading to a forward-looking dividend yield of 6.7% [14] - The company operates in a transitioning industry, moving from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, which requires significant investment and has led to increased debt [15] - Despite challenges, the renewable energy sector is projected to grow at over 17% annually through 2034, and AES expects its revenue growth to continue at least until 2027 [16] - AES has a backlog of 12.7 gigawatts in long-term contracts, supporting a positive outlook for profit growth [17] - Analysts largely view AES as a strong buy, with a consensus price target of $16.40, indicating significant upside potential from current levels [18]