The Smartest Dividend Stocks to Buy With $1,000 Right Now

Dividend stocks are excellent tools for long-term wealth creation. In addition to capital appreciation, these companies reward shareholders with consistent dividend payouts. Their reliable income streams make them less susceptible to market volatility and also provide a hedge against rising prices. Moreover, reinvesting dividends can significantly enhance returns through compounding. Against this backdrop, let’s take a closer look at three smart dividend stocks that currently offer attractive buying opportunities.

Bank of Nova Scotia

Bank of Nova Scotia (TSX:BNS), with an uninterrupted dividend payment record dating back to 1833, is my first pick. The bank offers a wide range of financial services across multiple countries, and its diversified revenue streams generate stable and reliable cash flows, enabling consistent dividend payments. With a quarterly dividend of $1.10 per share, BNS currently offers a forward dividend yield of 4.34% based on its January 20th closing price.

The bank’s financial performance has also been improving. In its recently reported fourth-quarter, revenue and adjusted earnings per share (EPS) grew by 15% and 22.9%, respectively. In addition, BNS has strengthened its balance sheet and improved its loan-to-deposit ratio, positioning the company to support sustainable long-term growth.

Looking ahead, BNS is strategically shifting its focus toward higher-margin, lower-risk North American markets while scaling back exposure to lower-profitability, higher-risk Latin American operations. This realignment should streamline operations, enhance profitability, and reinforce dividend sustainability, making BNS an attractive buying opportunity.

Canadian Natural Resources

My second pick is Canadian Natural Resources (TSX:CNQ), which has increased its dividend for 25 consecutive years at an impressive compound annual growth rate of 21%. With a quarterly dividend of $0.5875 per share, the company currently offers an attractive forward dividend yield of 4.94%. As a leading oil and natural gas producer, CNQ operates a diversified and balanced asset base supported by low-risk, high-quality reserves that require relatively modest capital reinvestment. Its efficient operations and disciplined, flexible capital allocation generate strong and sustainable cash flows, enabling consistent dividend growth.

CNQ holds approximately five billion barrels of oil equivalent in reserves—the second-largest among its global peers—and maintains a proven reserve life index of about 32 years, providing strong long-term production visibility and durable cash generation. The company is further strengthening its production profile through planned capital investments of $6.7 billion in 2025 and $6.4 billion in 2026. On the back of these investments, the company expects its average production to range between 1,590 and 1,650 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day (MBOE/d) this year, with the midpoint representing a 3.2% year-over-year increase.

Given its high-quality reserves, disciplined capital allocation, and steady production growth outlook, CNQ appears well-positioned to sustain dividend growth in the years ahead.

Fortis

My final pick is Fortis (TSX:FTS), a regulated electric and natural gas utility that has increased its dividend for 52 consecutive years. Supported by a predominantly regulated asset base focused on low-risk transmission and distribution businesses, Fortis’s financial performance is relatively insulated from economic cycles and commodity price volatility. Its steadily expanding asset base has driven consistent earnings growth, enabling reliable dividend increases. Meanwhile, its forward dividend yield is currently 3.53%.

Looking ahead, energy demand is expected to rise due to increased electrification, the expansion of AI-ready data centres, population growth, and broader economic development—trends that should benefit Fortis. To capitalize on these opportunities, the company has outlined a $28.8 billion capital investment plan to expand its rate base. These investments can drive rate base growth at approximately 7% annually, supporting long-term earnings growth and future dividend payments.

Management has also guided for annual dividend increases of 4–6% through 2030. Given its defensive business model, visible growth outlook, and strong dividend track record, Fortis appears to be an attractive long-term dividend investment.

The post The Smartest Dividend Stocks to Buy With $1,000 Right Now appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

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More reading

• A Canadian Utility Stock to Buy for Big Total Returns
• 5 Canadian Blue-Chip Stocks That Keep Growing Through Every Market
• 3 Stocks Every Canadian Investor Needs to Own in 2026
• Don’t Bet Against Canada’s Top Dividend Icons in the New Year
• Where to Invest Your 2026 TFSA Money for Total Returns

Fool contributor Rajiv Nanjapla has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Bank Of Nova Scotia, Canadian Natural Resources, and Fortis. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.