3 High-Yield Pipeline Stocks to Buy Now and Hold Forever

By Matt DiLallo – Feb 21, 2026 at 9:07AM ESTKey PointsEnbridge has increased its dividend for 31 straight years. Kinder Morgan has hiked its payout for nine years in a row.Williams has paid dividends for over half a century. These 10 Stocks Could Mint the Next Wave of Millionaires ›NYSE: ENBEnbridgeMarket Cap$112BToday's Changeangle-down(-0.21%) $0.11Current Price$51.48Price as of February 20, 2026 at 3:58 PM ETThese pipeline stocks can produce durable and steadily rising dividend income.Pipeline companies make ideal long-term investments. Most pipeline operators sell capacity under long-term contracts or government-regulated rate structures, providing them with significant visibility into their future cash flows. Meanwhile, energy demand is growing, which should enable these companies to continue expanding their systems. Enbridge (ENB 0.21%), Kinder Morgan (KMI +0.57%), and Williams (WMB +1.02%) are three of the best pipeline stocks to buy now. They generate durable cash flows to support their high-yielding dividends. Meanwhile, they have lots of visible growth coming down the pipeline. They could supply investors with a lifetime of steadily rising dividend income. Image source: Getty Images. Over 30 years of annual dividend increases Enbridge is a leading North American energy infrastructure company. The Canadian pipeline and utility operator transports 30% of North America's crude oil and 20% of the natural gas consumed in the U.S. It also operates the largest gas utility franchise and is a leading renewable energy producer. The company has a low-risk business model as over 90% of its earnings come from regulated rate structures or take-or-pay contracts, providing it with very stable cash flows. Enbridge pays out 60% to 70% of its steady cash flow in dividends (its current yield is 5.6%). That allows it to retain billions of dollars in excess cash flow each year to fund expansion projects. ExpandNYSE: ENBEnbridgeToday's Change(-0.21%) $-0.11Current Price$51.48Key Data PointsMarket Cap$112BDay's Range$51.21 - $51.8252wk Range$39.73 - $54.20Volume151KAvg Vol4.8MGross Margin32.74%Dividend Yield5.31% Enbridge has an abundance of expansion projects in its backlog. It has commercially secured projects scheduled to enter service through the early part of the next decade. Those projects will grow Enbridge's cash flow by 3% per share this year and by around 5% annually beyond 2026. That should support a similar dividend growth rate. The company has increased its dividend for 31 consecutive years (in Canadian dollars). Nearing a decade of dividend growth Kinder Morgan operates the largest U.S. gas transmission network, transporting 40% of the country's production. It also operates refined products pipelines, terminals, and carbon dioxide infrastructure. ExpandNYSE: KMIKinder MorganToday's Change(0.57%) $0.18Current Price$32.73Key Data PointsMarket Cap$73BDay's Range$32.18 - $32.7652wk Range$23.94 - $32.77Volume740KAvg Vol14MGross Margin34.74%Dividend Yield3.57% The pipeline company has locked in 70% of its annual cash flows from take-or-pay contracts and hedging agreements. Meanwhile, another 26% comes from steady fee-based contracts. The company pays out less than 50% of its stable cash flow in dividends, retaining the rest to fund expansion projects. Kinder Morgan currently has $10 billion in commercially secured expansion projects in its backlog, which it expects to complete through 2030. It's pursuing another $10 billion in projects to further enhance and extend its growth visibility. The growing cash flows from these projects should enable Kinder Morgan to continue increasing its high-yielding dividend (3.6% current yield), which it has done for the last nine years in a row. Over half a century of dividend payments Williams is a leading gas infrastructure company. It handles a third of the gas produced in the U.S. That puts the company in a strong position to capitalize on the expected 35% surge in gas demand over the next decade. ExpandNYSE: WMBWilliams CompaniesToday's Change(1.02%) $0.74Current Price$72.91Key Data PointsMarket Cap$89BDay's Range$72.00 - $72.9552wk Range$51.58 - $73.04Volume168KAvg Vol7.3MGross Margin42.83%Dividend Yield2.74% The company is currently investing $15.5 billion into growth capital projects that it expects to complete through 2033. In addition to building pipelines and related infrastructure, Williams is investing $7 billion into four gas-fired power innovation projects to support growing electricity demand from data centers and other customers. These investments fuel Williams' view that it can grow its earnings at a more than 10% annual rate through 2030. That should give the company ample fuel to continue increasing its 2.9%-yielding dividend. Williams has paid dividends for over 50 consecutive years, while growing its payout at a more than 5% compound annual rate since 2020. Durable dividend stocks Enbridge, Kinder Morgan, and Williams generate very stable and steadily growing cash flow, fueled by rising energy demand. The upcoming power surge driven by AI data centers and increasing electricity demand should enable these pipeline companies to continue growing their cash flows and dividends for many years to come. That makes them great pipeline stocks to buy and hold for a potential lifetime of passive income. Read NextFeb 19, 2026 •By Keith Speights2 Dividend Stocks to Hold for the Next 5 YearsFeb 15, 2026 •By Matt DiLalloThis Durable 5.2%-Yielding Dividend Stock is as Dependable as They ComeFeb 9, 2026 •By Reuben Gregg Brewer3 Ultra-High-Yield Energy Dividend Stocks to Buy and Hold for 2026Feb 5, 2026 •By Reuben Gregg BrewerCould Buying Enbridge Stock Today Set You Up for Life in Safe Dividend Income?Feb 5, 2026 •By Keith Speights3 High-Yield Energy Stocks to Buy in FebruaryJan 31, 2026 •By Reuben Gregg BrewerCould Owning This Energy Stock Today Change Your Financial Trajectory?About the AuthorMatt DiLallo has been a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst specializing in covering dividend-paying companies, particularly in the energy and REIT sectors, since 2012. He also covers pre-IPO companies, ETFs, and other investing topics. He holds an MBA from Liberty University.TMFmd19X@MatthewDiLalloStocks MentionedEnbridgeNYSE: ENB$51.48 (0.21%) $0.11Williams CompaniesNYSE: WMB$72.91 (+1.02%) $+0.74Kinder MorganNYSE: KMI$32.73 (+0.57%) $+0.18*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.