The market’s been jittery, a nervous tick in response to trouble brewing overseas. Folks are dumping stocks like they’re hot coals. But panic is for amateurs. A smart trader doesn’t chase the headlines; he finds the bedrock. Right now, that means looking at companies that can weather a storm, not just ride the waves. It’s about resilience, a quality rarer than a winning hand in this town.
Two names keep surfacing, not because they’re flashy, but because they’re…solid. Enbridge (ENB +1.13%) and Verizon Communications (VZ +1.12%). They’ve been quietly climbing while others are taking a tumble. That’s not luck; that’s a story worth listening to.
The Weight of Things
Enbridge moves about 30% of the crude oil and 20% of the natural gas that fuels the U.S. Verizon? Over 146 million wireless connections. These aren’t nimble startups; they’re behemoths. Their size isn’t a weakness; it’s a shield. It takes a seismic event to move a mountain. Their betas, those measures of volatility, are consistently low, meaning they don’t dance to every market tune. They just…stand there. Like they own the place. Which, in a way, they do.
Over the last couple of years, Verizon’s shares have traded in a narrow band – $38.39 to $51.67. Enbridge? Similar story, between $39.73 and $54.70. That’s not excitement, that’s stability. It’s the kind of predictable movement that lets a man sleep at night.
A Little Something Extra
Even when the market throws a tantrum, these companies keep paying dividends. It’s a simple principle: income buys patience. And in this business, patience is everything. They’re handing you cash while everyone else is scrambling for scraps.
Around 5% yield, both of them. That’s a good clip above the S&P 500 average, and a solid wall against the paltry returns on those 10-year Treasury notes. Verizon’s been raising its dividend for 20 years straight. Enbridge? 31 years. That’s not a streak; that’s a monument.
The Numbers Tell a Story
Enbridge reported earnings up 38% last year, and distributable cash flow up nearly 4%. Their business isn’t tied to the whims of oil prices. They charge for the use of their pipelines, a steady revenue stream regardless of what happens at the pump. It’s a toll booth on the information highway, and the traffic keeps flowing.
Verizon’s revenue was up 2.5%, though earnings were down a hair thanks to some restructuring costs – laying off 13,000 folks. A necessary evil, they call it. Despite a large fleet of vehicles, they aren’t particularly sensitive to fuel prices. They’re big enough to absorb the hit, and they even sell software to help other companies manage their own fuel costs. A predator preying on prey, if you will.
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2026-03-23 21:04