7.8% and 6.8% dividend yields! Should I buy these UK high-dividend stocks?

These high-dividend shares have declined in value in recent months. Here’s why I think they’re great UK shares for long-term investors.

| More on:

The content of this article was relevant at the time of publishing. Circumstances change continuously and caution should therefore be exercised when relying upon any content contained within this article.

Smiling senior white man talking through telephone while using laptop at desk.

Image source: Getty Images

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More.

I’m searching for high-dividend shares to add to my portfolio in June. Here are two on my radar today.

Assura

Primary healthcare property providers like Assura (LSE:AGR) have tremendous investment potential. As the UK population steadily ages, footfall in facilities like GP surgeries and diagnostics centres is predicted to increase strongly.

Facilities like this are expected becoming increasingly important given the huge strain on the NHS. In a recent report CBRE Group said “primary care will become an important part of delivering healthcare services” in light of record-high NHS waiting lists.

The property services group expects primary care rents to increase in 2023. This should “enable and encourage third-party development, to meet increasing demand and deliver on NHS ESG strategies.”

These are long-term trends I think could deliver sustained profits growth at the likes of Assura. As the graph below shows, serious health conditions that require treatment are rising across the board.

Condition prevalence rates in England. Source: CBRE Group, NHS Digital QOF Framework

High build-cost inflation is an issue for companies like this. And there is a possibility this could prove a prolonged problem. But I still believe the potential benefits of owning primary healthcare operators such as this outweigh this problem.

As a dividend investor I’m especially attracted to Assura. Its classification as a real estate investment trust (or REIT) mean it has to pay at least 90% of annual rental profits out in the form of dividends.

For this year the firm carries a mighty 6.8% dividend yield. I expect it to deliver market-beating dividends for years to come.

Please note that tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in future. The content in this article is provided for information purposes only. It is not intended to be, neither does it constitute, any form of tax advice.

Rio Tinto

FTSE 100 business Rio Tinto (LSE: RIO) is another high-yield dividend share on my radar today. I opened a position in the mega miner back in summer 2022. And I’m thinking of adding more shares to my portfolio following recent price weakness.

At today’s prices the company offers a 7.8% forward dividend yield. And it also trades on a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of just 8.1 times.

Concerns over near-term commodities demand have driven Rio Tinto’s share price southwards in recent months. And they will intensify should key data from China and the US continue to be disappointing.

But this doesn’t concern me as an investor. I buy UK shares based on the returns I expect to receive over the long haul. And I expect the firm to deliver exceptional capital gains and dividend income over this kind of time horizon.

The world is on the cusp of another major commodities supercycle. Urbanisation rates are increasing in emerging markets, and spending to upgrade creaking Western infrastructure is increasing. Investment in renewable energy is taking off and consumer spending on electronics and electric vehicles is on the rise.

The result is that Rio Tinto can expect demand for its copper, iron ore, aluminium and other raw materials to rise strongly in the coming decades. And the business has considerable balance sheet strength to exploit this opportunity through acquisitions and upgrades to current mines.

Royston Wild has positions in Rio Tinto Group. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

More on Investing Articles

Mature black woman at home texting on her cell phone while sitting on the couch
Investing Articles

The FTSE 100 hits 10,000! What does this mean for investors?

The FTSE 100 -- the blue-chip stock index -- has reached an all-time high, representing a milestone for the supposedly…

Read more »

British coins and bank notes scattered on a surface
Investing Articles

How much do you need in an ISA for £2,026 passive income a month?

What kind of nest egg would an investor need for £2,026 monthly passive income? Our author crunches the numbers required…

Read more »

Warren Buffett at a Berkshire Hathaway AGM
Investing Articles

Warren Buffett has retired. Could his investing approach still work today?

Warren Buffett has handed over the reins at Berkshire Hathaway. He's been investing for decades and the world has changed.…

Read more »

ISA coins
Investing Articles

Got a spare £20k for a Stocks and Shares ISA? Here’s how it could generate a £1,400 passive income in 2026!

A Stocks and Shares ISA can be a serious source of long-term passive income. Christopher Ruane explains more about this…

Read more »

Growth Shares

2 of the cheapest FTSE stocks to consider buying as we hit 2026

Jon Smith calls out a couple of FTSE companies that have fallen in the past year that he believes are…

Read more »

Tesla building with tesla logo and two teslas in front
Investing Articles

Why Tesla stock outperformed the S&P 500 — again — in 2025

As the Tesla share price shrugs off declining revenues and profits to climb 19%, what kind of further excitement will…

Read more »

Black woman using smartphone at home, watching stock charts.
Investing Articles

Thinking of investing in the stock market? Keep these basic rules in mind

Investing in the stock market can put investors on the fast track to building wealth and earning passive income. And…

Read more »

piggy bank, searching with binoculars
US Stock

This Dow Jones stock could be a dark horse outperformer for 2026

Jon Smith looks across the pond and spots a Dow Jones company that has fallen by 11% in the past…

Read more »