The Motley Fool·2025-12-29 08:45Core Viewpoint - The article highlights several ultra-high-yield dividend stocks that are well-positioned to provide consistent high dividends for income investors in 2026 [2]. Group 1: Ares Capital - Ares Capital is the largest publicly traded business development company (BDC) with a diversified portfolio worth $28.7 billion across over 15 industries [4]. - The company offers a forward dividend yield of 9.6% and has maintained or grown its dividend for 16 consecutive years, outperforming rival BDCs and the S&P 500 since its inception in 2004 [5]. Group 2: Enbridge - Enbridge is a leading midstream energy company that operates pipelines transporting 30% of North America's crude oil and 20% of the natural gas consumed in the U.S. [7]. - The company has a strong dividend track record with 30 consecutive years of increases and a forward dividend yield of approximately 5.9% [7]. Group 3: Energy Transfer - Energy Transfer operates over 144,000 miles of pipeline and has a forward distribution yield of 8.1% [8][10]. - The company is involved in growth opportunities, including contracts with CloudBurst and Oracle to provide natural gas for data centers [10]. Group 4: Enterprise Products Partners - Enterprise Products Partners is a leader in the midstream energy sector, operating over 50,000 miles of pipelines and having a distribution yield of 6.8% [11][12]. - The company has a history of 27 consecutive years of distribution increases and maintains a strong balance sheet with the highest credit rating in the midstream energy industry [12]. Group 5: Realty Income - Realty Income is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns 15,542 commercial properties across nine countries, with a diverse tenant base [13][15]. - The REIT has increased its dividend for 30 consecutive years and has raised its payout for 112 straight quarters, offering a forward dividend yield of 5.7% and paying dividends monthly [16].