Three income stocks that pay high yields and are backed by strong financials include Novartis (NYSE: NVS), Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL), and Fortis (NYSE: FTS). All this, combined with Novartis projecting 4% annual revenue growth to 2026 with the help of new drugs, should give investors confidence in the healthcare stock's ability to continue paying its dividend for the foreseeable future. Although the company's latest rate hike was a modest two-cent bump up, it's an important sign of Colgate-Palmolive's strength, even amid a pandemic and rising inflation.