The Smartest Dividend Stocks to Buy With $2,000 Right Now

By Reuben Gregg Brewer – Mar 7, 2026 at 9:05PM ESTKey PointsNextEra Energy is a dividend growth stock driven by its clean energy expansion.Brookfield Renewable is a high-yield clean energy opportunity that you can buy in two different ways.Dividend investors often get too caught up with yield and don't pay enough attention to dividend growth. That's a big risk if you hope to live off your dividend income in retirement. If you add dividend growth into your selection criteria, you'll likely be better off. NextEra Energy (NEE 0.12%) and Brookfield Renewable (BEP 0.13%)(BEPC 0.22%) are strong dividend options that score well on both yield and dividend growth. NextEra Energy is a dividend growth machine NextEra Energy has increased its dividend annually for more than 25 years. The utility company's dividend yield is currently around 2.7%, which is well above the market's 1.1%. But the real story is the rate of dividend growth, which averaged around 11% per year over the past decade. Image source: Getty Images. This is important because the historical inflation rate is around 3.8%. That eats away at the buying power of your dividends. Since NextEra's dividend has grown well above that rate, its buying power has expanded over time. However, the real story here isn't the past; it is the future. NextEra owns a large regulated utility and is also one of the largest solar and wind power companies in the world. It is well-positioned to benefit as the world continues to shift toward cleaner energy alternatives. That should help keep the dividend growing nicely for years to come. ExpandNYSE: NEENextEra EnergyToday's Change(-0.12%) $-0.11Current Price$91.02Key Data PointsMarket Cap$190BDay's Range$90.01 - $91.6352wk Range$61.72 - $95.91Volume9.7MAvg Vol10MGross Margin36.20%Dividend Yield2.55% Brookfield Renewable is all in on clean energy Brookfield Renewable is 100% focused on clean and renewable power. It has a global portfolio of hydroelectric, solar, wind, storage, and nuclear energy assets. It hasn't been around as long as NextEra, but the income that Brookfield Renewable pays out has increased steadily for more than a decade. The annualized rate of increase was 5% over that span, just over the rate of inflation growth over time. ExpandNYSE: BEPBrookfield Renewable PartnersToday's Change(-0.13%) $-0.04Current Price$30.24Key Data PointsMarket Cap$9.3BDay's Range$29.25 - $30.3852wk Range$19.29 - $32.78Volume691KAvg Vol579KGross Margin18.64%Dividend Yield5.00% The real draw here, however, is the yield.

Brookfield Renewable Partners has a 5% yield, and Brookfield Renewable Corporation has a 3.8% yield. They represent the same entity and have the same dividend; the different yields stem from market demand for the different share classes. Institutional investors are often barred from owning partnerships, which creates a significant income opportunity for individual investors. Attractive yield and attractive income growth If you are a dividend investor looking for a mix of yield and dividend growth, NextEra Energy and Brookfield Renewable have you covered. NextEra is a better pick for those with a dividend growth focus, while Brookfield Renewable Partners will likely appeal to those focused more on income. A $2,000 investment will let you buy around 20 shares of NextEra or 60 units of Brookfield Renewable Partners.Read NextFeb 27, 2026 •By James HiresBetter Energy Stock: PlugPower vs. NextEra EnergyFeb 18, 2026 •By Catie Hogan2 Utility Stocks to Buy in FebruaryFeb 17, 2026 •By Matt DiLalloBeyond Tech Stocks: This Utility is Powering the Data Center Boom.Feb 12, 2026 •By William Dahl3 Reasons NextEra Energy Shares Could Soar in 2026Feb 10, 2026 •By Matt DiLalloThe Smartest Dividend Stocks to Buy With $1,000 Right NowFeb 5, 2026 •By Catie HoganForget Tech Stocks: The Utility Play That Could Outperform NvidiaAbout the AuthorReuben Gregg Brewer is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering energy, utilities, REITs, and consumer staples. He is the former director of research at Value Line Publishing, where he rose from mutual fund analyst to equity analyst before leading all research operations. Reuben holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from SUNY Purchase, a master’s in social work from Columbia University, and an MBA from Regis University. He has been featured as a financial expert on CNBC and in the Financial Times, Barron’s, and InvestmentNews.TMFReubenGBrewerStocks MentionedNextEra EnergyNYSE: NEE$91.08(-0.06%)-$0.05Brookfield Renewable PartnersNYSE: BEP$30.24(-0.13%)-$0.04Brookfield RenewableNYSE: BEPC$40.20(+0.03%)+$0.01*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.