Stocks trading at or near their 52-week lows offer value and higher-than-average yields that investors can capitalize on. The risk is that stock trading at or near their 52-week lows also often move on to set lower lows, undermining the opportunity.
This is a look at three high-yield stocks found using MarketBeat’s stock screening tools. They are trading at or near their 52-week lows, offering enticing opportunities. The questions to be answered are what drives the price decline, how safe the yield is, and how the analysts' trends are impacting the outlook.
Smith & Wesson Brands Has Headwinds, Distribution At Risk
Smith & Wesson Brands (NASDAQ: SWBI) faces numerous headwinds that amounted to a business contraction in fiscal Q4. The worst is the impact of tariffs and revenue deleveraging, which significantly affected margins, leading to underperformance and insufficient income to cover the dividend. The yield is attractive at roughly 6% but is at risk of being cut. The payout ratio is well above 150% at the end of F2025 and is expected to remain flat in F2026, not improving sufficiently for the dividend to be considered safe in 2027.
The impact on the balance sheet is noticeable. The company remains in sound financial health, but its cash position is dwindling, and debt is rising, increasing the need to cut the quarterly distribution. Based on guidance and analysts' forecasts, this trend is not expected to end, raising the question of when the cut will occur and what impact it will have on the stock price.
Analysts rate this stock at a consensus of Moderate Buy. However, MarketBeat tracks only two current reports, all of which are less than one year old, and only one of those was issued in 2025. The takeaway is that the sentiment is declining and the price target is falling, with no indication that the sentiment will improve soon. The risk now is that the stock price will fall below the critical support target and continue its downtrend.
SunCoke Energy: Dividend Safety Versus Headwinds
SunCoke Energy (NYSE: SXC) has headwinds, including weaker coal prices, but one thing is clear: the company’s dividend payment is safe. The business is centered on long-term contracts that guarantee cash flow, if not margin, and that leaves the 6%-yielding payment in a strong position. The payout is expected to be around 70% in 2025, a relatively high level but a sustainable one for this business.
Looking forward, the distribution health will be bolstered by a recent acquisition, which is expected to have a positive impact on revenue and profitability. SunCoke Energy is acquiring Phoenix Global. Phoenix Global offers a range of mission-critical mill services to the steel industry, diversifying SunCoke’s business while providing opportunities for cross-selling and up-selling.
MarketBeat tracks only one analyst with a current rating on this stock. It is a Buy with a price target more than 65% above the late-June trading levels. The robust institutional activity compounds the sentiment; institutions own more than 90% of this stock and have been buying at a two-to-one pace versus sellers in 2025.
Tronox Holdings Hits Bottom in 2025: Analysts Signal Shift
Tronox Holdings (NYSE: TROX) also has headwinds and risks for its dividend. It posted a net loss for the previous fiscal year, and the start of F2025 isn’t robust. However, shifts in the demand outlook for TiO2 pigments and related products have led analysts to believe the company is at a turning point, and this is reflected in their sentiment ratings.
MarketBeat tracks eight analysts rating this stock as a consensus of Moderate Buy, indicating potential for 50% upside. The revision trends include some reductions, but all are moving closer to the consensus of $8.15, including a recent upgrade from JPMorgan. JPMorgan upgraded the stock to Overweight from Neutral while raising the price target to $7.
Tronox's balance sheet is a fortress and can sustain the distribution until business picks up. The dividend is worth more than 9% with shares near their lows; the company’s business is expected to begin picking up by the end of the fiscal year, resulting in positive earnings, and to accelerate in the following year.
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