Market Volatility & Investment Strategy - The market has shown resilience with a V-shaped recovery, and investors should embrace volatility as it favors long-term value buyers [1] - Despite major market averages being in the black for the year, many individual stocks, especially in the Russell 2000, are still down significantly, presenting value opportunities [4] - Stock picking is expected to outperform buying indexes, offering better sleep-at-night valuations and generous dividend yields [11] Undervalued Sectors & Stocks - The energy sector, particularly Sevitas Resources, is attractive due to being hit hard, offering a big dividend yield and low PE ratio while remaining profitable [5][6] - Pharmaceutical companies like Merc are viewed as high quality, trading at a PE around 11 with a 4% dividend yield, lower than its historical valuation [6] - Whirlpool, the appliance maker, offers a yield over 7% with a PE in the 9-10 range, anticipating support from lower interest rates later in the year [8] - Target, the discount retailer, has a low valuation relative to its history and a dividend yield pushing 5% [8][9] - UPS, the package shipping company, aligns with the theme of low valuations and generous dividend yields [9] Economic Outlook & Fed Policy - Good news rate cuts are anticipated throughout the year, although immediate cuts are unlikely due to tariff uncertainties and high inflation expectations [12][13] - Historically, stocks have performed well regardless of Fed tightening or easing, rising or falling interest rates, or high or low inflation [14] - Value stocks have historically lost only a couple percent on average during recessions, with spectacular returns of 30-40% coming out of recessions [15][16] Portfolio Valuation - The portfolio's forward earnings trade at 14 times, compared to the S&P 500's 23 times forward earnings [10] - The portfolio's overall dividend yield is 250 basis points (25%) versus 130 basis points (13%) for the S&P 500 [10]

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights three high-yield dividend stocks: Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Whirlpool, emphasizing their potential to provide passive income through dividends, especially during market downturns [1][2]. Group 1: Chevron - Chevron offers a forward dividend yield of 4.5% and has increased its dividend for 38 consecutive years, indicating strong management commitment to shareholders [3][4]. - The company maintains a conservative net debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 0.4, showcasing its financial stability despite oil price volatility [5]. - Future free cash flow growth is anticipated due to asset development and acquisitions, positioning Chevron well for continued dividend increases [6]. Group 2: ExxonMobil - ExxonMobil has a dividend yield of 3.8% and has raised its dividend for 42 consecutive years, making it a solid choice for dividend investors [12]. - The company plans to grow annual cash flows by $30 billion based on a $65 per barrel Brent crude oil price, indicating a focus on sustainable financial planning [11]. - Despite lower oil prices affecting margins, ExxonMobil's diversified operations and long-term investment strategy support its dividend sustainability [10][12]. Group 3: Whirlpool - Whirlpool presents a speculative investment opportunity with a high dividend yield of 7.7%, but faces challenges due to a weak housing market and consumer spending [14][15]. - The company has $1.85 billion of its $6.6 billion net debt maturing this year, raising concerns about the sustainability of its dividend [16]. - Management expects to generate $500 million to $600 million in free cash flow in 2025 and plans to sell a stake in Whirlpool India to improve its financial position [17].