Playing defense in pandemic

The pandemic that’s underway is hitting many companies hard, but some businesses are more resilient than others. Consider Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (NYSE: BIP), which we suggested to you back in October. With the recent market meltdown, its shares tumbled, but although they’ve recovered somewhat, they were recently nearly 15 percent below those October prices — making them even more intriguing for patient long-term investors. Brookfield generates most of its revenue from the diversified collection of water, telecommunications, energy and transportation infrastructure assets it owns around the world — invisible infrastructure that’s easy to overlook, but critical to modern society. Its utility services fall clearly on the “necessities” side of the ledger, which should keep cash flowing, even if things continue to deteriorate. Brookfield also offers a dividend, which recently yielded more than 5 percent. To be clear: These payouts are not guaranteed, and even the best companies can make changes to their dividend policies in uncertain times. But Brookfield is well-run, with a strong balance sheet and built-in advantages that create a solid margin of safety. That’s particularly important when it comes to supporting dividends. Give it a closer look. (The Motley Fool has recommended Brookfield Infrastructure Partners. Brookfield is structured as a master limited partnership, which means its tax treatment is different from, and a bit more complicated than, common stocks.) Andrews McNeel Syndication