The Motley Fool·2025-10-21 01:15Core Insights - Investing in high-quality dividend stocks like Realty Income and Oneok provides reliable retirement income due to their proven track records of consistent dividend payments [2][11] Realty Income - Realty Income is a REIT focused on providing dependable monthly dividends that grow over time, having paid 664 consecutive monthly dividends and raised payments 132 times since its public listing in 1994 [3][4] - The current dividend yield for Realty Income is 5.5%, significantly above the S&P 500's average yield of around 1.2%, allowing investors to generate more income from their investments [4] - The company maintains durable cash flows through a diversified real estate portfolio, with over 90% of rent coming from tenants in resilient sectors, ensuring predictable cash flow [5][6] - Realty Income pays out about 75% of its adjusted funds from operations in dividends, allowing it to retain cash for further investments while maintaining a strong balance sheet [6] Oneok - Oneok has a long history of dividend stability and growth, with a current dividend yield of 6%, and has nearly doubled its payout over the past decade [7][10] - The company operates a balanced portfolio of energy infrastructure assets supported by long-term, fee-based contracts, providing stable cash flow for dividend coverage [8] - Oneok has several high-return organic expansion projects planned through mid-2028, along with a history of acquisitions that will enhance its financial performance [9][10] - The company anticipates a 3% to 4% annual growth rate in dividends, supported by ongoing demand for energy, particularly natural gas [10]