Luckily for income investors in this low interest rate environment, the ASX 200 is home to a number of top shares that are forecast to pay attractive dividends in the near term.
Two ASX 200 dividend shares that are expected to do this are listed below. Here's what you need to know about them:
BWP Trust (ASX: BWP)
The first ASX 200 dividend share to look at is BWP Trust. It is a commercial property company and the largest owner of Bunnings Warehouse sites in Australia. At the last count, it leased a total of 65 warehouses to the hardware giant.
With the Bunnings business performing very positively over the last decade, BWP has been able to deliver solid earnings and dividend growth for its shareholders. Pleasingly, the hardware giant has continued this positive form during the pandemic, underpinning a robust 12 months for BWP in FY 2021.
It declared a full year distribution of ~18.3 cents per share in FY 2021 and expects something similar in FY 2022. Based on the current BWP share price of $4.01, this equates to an attractive 4.55% dividend yield.
Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)
Another ASX 200 dividend share to look at is Telstra. This telco giant has just handed in its full year results, which went down well with investors.
For the 12 months ended 30 June, Telstra reported an 11.6% reduction in total income and a 9.7% decline in underlying EBITDA to $6.7 billion. The latter reflects an in-year NBN headwind of $650 million and an estimated $380 million financial impact from COVID-19. If you exclude the NBN headwind, Telstra's underlying EBITDA would have fallen only $70 million year on year.
Pleasingly, with its operating performance improving and the NBN headwind easing, management expects the company to return to growth in FY 2022. It provided underlying EBITDA growth guidance of 4.5% to 9%. After which, it is targeting a further increase in FY 2023.
Goldman Sachs was pleased with its result and guidance. In response, it retained its buy rating and lifted its price target to $4.30. It also continues to forecast fully franked dividends per share of 16 cents through to FY 2023 and then 18 cents in FY 2024.
Based on the current Telstra share price of $3.96, this will mean yields of 4% through to FY 2023 and then 4.5% in FY 2024.
