6% Yield! This Dividend Stock Is My Retirement Insurance Policy

Written by Demetris Afxentiou at The Motley Fool Canada

Every investor needs a retirement insurance policy. To meet that goal, investors need to select the right investments, ones that can provide an ample income source which can last for decades.

One such stock that can become a key part of your retirement insurance policy is Enbridge (TSX:ENB).

Enbridge is one of the largest energy infrastructure companies on the planet. The company boasts a massive pipeline network comprising both crude and natural gas segments.

That pipeline business generates the bulk of Enbridge’s revenue, and it’s a highly defensive operation owing to the sheer volume involved.

Specifically, the company hauls one-third of all North American-produced crude and one-fifth of the natural gas needs of the U.S. market. That fact alone makes the stock one of the most defensive picks on the market.

And that’s not even taking into account the fact that Enbridge has a multi-billion-dollar project backlog and that the pipeline network charges for use of the network, and not by the price of the commodity hauled.

To put it another way, Enbridge’s pipeline business generates a stable revenue stream, irrespective of which way the price of oil moves.

Incredibly, there’s much more that Enbridge can offer investors.

The company also boasts a growing renewable energy business, with facilities located in Europe and North America. Those facilities are backed by regulated long-term contracts that provide a reliable (defensive) and recurring revenue stream.

Enbridge also operates a natural gas utility. In fact, thanks to a series of well-executed acquisitions in recent years, Enbridge now operates one of the largest natural gas utilities on the continent.

Like the renewable energy segment, the natural gas utility is regulated and provides a predictable revenue stream.

Collectively, Enbridge’s well-diversified business units generate ample revenue to fund both growth and pay out a juicy dividend.

But is that enough for a retirement insurance policy?

One of the main reasons why investors flock to Enbridge is for the dividend the company offers. As of the time of writing, Enbridge offers a quarterly dividend with an impressive yield of 6.1%.

This means that a $20,000 investment in Enbridge will generate an annual income of just over $1,200. But that’s not even the best part.

Enbridge has provided annual upticks to that dividend going back three decades without fail. Even better, investors who aren’t ready to draw on that income yet can choose to reinvest it, allowing it to grow on autopilot.