Every investor aims to build a portfolio that can deliver solid returns even during volatile periods, but the challenge is how to achieve that. One strategy that consistently comes up is dividend investing.
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Dividend stocks are often seen as a classic defensive play, a way to help protect a portfolio in a more uncertain environment. Dividends provide a source of income that is separate from share price appreciation, creating a steady cash flow for investors. That income can be used however investors choose – whether that means covering expenses or reinvesting to grow their positions over time.
The most compelling dividend stocks tend to combine high yields with consistent payouts, offering both solid income and reliability. At the same time, they can still offer upside in a stronger market environment.
With that in mind, Truist analysts have been pointing to a couple of dividend stocks that currently yield at least 10%, alongside their potential for share price gains. Using the TipRanks database, we’ve taken a closer look at these names to see what makes them stand out. Let’s dive in.
Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending (NCDL)
We’ll start with a business development company, or BDC – a segment of the market built around a clear purpose. These firms step in where traditional lenders often pull back, providing capital and financial support to small- and mid-sized businesses that might otherwise struggle to secure funding. In doing so, they play a quiet but important role in keeping the broader economy moving.
Nuveen Churchill Direct Lending is a BDC that focuses on providing senior secured loans to US middle-market companies. The target companies are typically private equity-owned. Nuveen operates through a subsidiary, Churchill. Churchill is the investment specialist affiliate, and its contribution to the US middle-market private equity sector includes customized financing solutions.
A look at some numbers shows the scale of NCDL. The company’s portfolio has a fair value of $2 billion, put into over 200 portfolio companies. Of this portfolio, 90% is in first-lien term loans; most of the rest – some 8% of the total – is in subordinated debt. The largest part of the portfolio, 18.2%, is invested in healthcare and pharmaceuticals; the second-largest portion, 17.2%, is in business services.
This portfolio lies at the base of NCDL’s business strategy: to generate returns for its investors. Fulfilling that goal, the company pays out a regular dividend. The last declaration came on February 26 and set a 36-cent common share payment for distribution on April 28. At the annualized rate of $1.44 per share, the dividend gives a forward yield of 10.7%. We should note that the regular dividend is accompanied by a special dividend of 4 cents per share.
The dividend payment is supported by the 4Q25 net investment income of 44 cents per share. That figure was 1 cent per share better than had been expected.
Truist’s 5-star analyst Arren Cyganovich covers this stock and doesn’t hesitate to lay out a case for the shares as a sound dividend payer.
“NCDL established a new quarterly distribution of $0.40 per share for Q1 2026, which is composed of a $0.36 regular dividend and a $0.04 supplemental dividend. This shift is designed to provide a stable, ‘base’ dividend that can be comfortably covered by earnings even as interest rates decline. The supplemental component allows the company to pass through excess earnings during periods of higher market returns while preserving the stability of the NAV… We continue to see good value in NCDL shares… We maintain our Buy rating given our expectation of continued solid results, implementing a new buyback plan that should help boost NAV per share, and upside to our price target,” Cyganovich noted.
That Buy rating is backed up by a $16 price target that suggests a one-year upside potential of ~19%. Add in the dividend yield, and the one-year return on this stock may approach 30%. (To watch Cyganovich’s track record, click here)
Zooming out to the broader analyst view, the latest 4 reviews are evenly split between 2 Buys and 2 Holds, leading to a Moderate Buy consensus. At a current share price of $13.47, the $15 average price target suggests about 11% upside over the coming year. (See NCDL stock forecast)
Community Healthcare Trust (CHCT)
Next up is a real estate investment trust, or REIT – a corner of the market that has long appealed to income-focused investors. These companies benefit from tax advantages tied to returning a large portion of their profits to shareholders, which is why they’re often associated with steady dividend payouts. Community Healthcare Trust fits squarely into that mold. The company builds its business around medical real estate, acquiring and managing properties that it leases to physicians, hospitals, and healthcare systems, with a particular emphasis on serving communities beyond major urban hubs.
Currently, the company has 198 properties in its portfolio, spread across 36 states, holding 323 tenants. Since the company’s inception, just over 10 years ago, it has seen 593% asset growth and 42 quarters of dividend growth. That success has been built on a portfolio which includes such properties as clinics, outpatient treatment centers, mental-health and behavioral health facilities, specialty treatment centers for radiation or dialysis, long-term acute care hospitals, and urgent care centers.
This property portfolio totals some 4.5 million square feet of leasable space, and the company boasts a 90.6% occupancy rate. Texas and Florida account for the largest geographical shares of the company’s footprint, at 14.3% and 12.4%, respectively; Illinois and Ohio each account for slightly less than 10%, and Pennsylvania is home to more than 6% of CHCT’s properties. The rest of the country accounts for the remaining 47.5% of the portfolio. Medical office buildings, at 36% of the total, form the largest category, followed by inpatient rehabilitation facilities at 21.2%.
As noted, this REIT has been raising its dividend consistently since 2015. In the last declaration, made on February 12, the company set out a 47.75-cent common share dividend, with a payment date of March 4. That dividend annualizes to $1.91 per share, and it gives a forward yield of 11.2%.
The company reported sound results in its last quarterly release, which covered 4Q25. The funds from operations (FFO) and adjusted funds from operations (AFFO), both key metrics for REITs, came in at $0.49 and $0.55, respectively, per diluted common share. The company had more than $990 million in total assets at the end of 2025.
This stock has drawn interest from Michael Lewis, a 5-star analyst at Truist, who points to the company’s portfolio as a key strength.
“Management expects portfolio occupancy to remain steady in the first half of this year, with some potential upside in the back half. The Assurance properties should be resolved shortly, and two redevelopment projects are set to come online within the next few quarters. We project moderate earnings growth going forward, though leverage has been creeping up and CHCT would greatly benefit from a better cost of equity… We are modeling a $0.0025ps quarterly dividend payment increase in each quarter going forward, consistent with every quarterly increase since the company’s IPO. We think near-term cashflow coverage will be tight, but management appears committed to its historical policy and CHCT should gradually grow into a little more comfortable cushion,” Lewis opined.
Looking ahead, Lewis gives CHCT a Buy rating, with a $19 price target that indicates room for an upside of nearly 11% in the next 12 months. With the dividend yield included, the stock’s one-year return might reach 22% or better. (To watch Lewis’ track record, click here)
Like NCDL above, this real estate investment trust has 4 recent analyst reviews with an even split of 2 Buys and 2 Holds for a Moderate Buy consensus rating. The stock is trading for $17.14 and has an average target price of $18.50, implying an 8% gain by this time next year. (See CHCT stock forecast)
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.
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