Got $1,000 to Invest? Here Are 3 Low-Risk Dividend Stocks to Buy Right Now.

Core Viewpoint - Dividend-paying stocks are generally considered lower-risk investments compared to non-payers, as they generate sufficient cash to fund growth and return excess to shareholders through dividends [1] Group 1: Black Hills (BKH) - Black Hills operates as a regulated utility with a monopoly on natural gas distribution and electricity in several states, benefiting from government regulation [5][6] - The company has a growing customer base, expanding at twice the rate of the U.S. population, and has a history of increasing dividends for over five decades, achieving Dividend King status [7] - Expected earnings growth of 4% to 6% and a dividend yield of 4.8% make Black Hills an attractive investment opportunity [8] Group 2: Kinder Morgan (KMI) - Kinder Morgan is one of the largest energy infrastructure platforms in the U.S., with stable cash flows supported by take-or-pay contracts that account for 64% of annual cash flows [9][10] - The company anticipates cash flow growth to $5.9 billion this year, sufficient to cover its $2.6 billion dividend outlay and fund capital expenditures with excess free cash flow [11][12] - With $8.8 billion in growth capital projects, primarily in natural gas pipelines, Kinder Morgan has a strong foundation for future dividend increases, having raised its payout for eight consecutive years [13] Group 3: American States Water (AWR) - American States Water is a major water utility serving 1 million consumers across nine states, with a long history of dividend payments since 1931 and 70 consecutive years of increases, making it a top Dividend King [15] - The company has achieved a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.8% in dividend growth over the past five years and aims for over 7% in the long term, supported by planned capital expenditures [16] - The stable cash flows and growth potential position American States Water as one of the safest and most reliable dividend stocks available, with a current yield of 2.4% [17]