10 Best Dividend Aristocrat Stocks To Buy Right Now

3. S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 85

S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) is an American capital market company that offers services in financial information and analytics. The company delivered impressive results in the third quarter of 2024, reporting $3.6 billion in revenue—a 16% increase compared to the same quarter last year. The company’s revenue also exceeded analysts’ estimates by $135.5 million. Beyond its ratings division, it benefits from a reliable cash flow through its data and analytics segment. So far this year, the company has generated nearly $4 billion in operating cash flow, a significant rise from $2.4 billion in the same period last year.

S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) plays a pivotal role in credit markets by assessing the creditworthiness of corporations, governments, and various organizations. Its strong position is supported by the longstanding credibility of credit rating agencies. Additionally, stringent regulatory standards create substantial barriers for new entrants, enabling the company to maintain its leadership in the credit-rating sector with a commanding 50% market share. The stock has delivered an over 18% return this year so far.

Aristotle Atlantic Partners, LLC highlighted S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI)’s strong performance in its Q3 2024 investor letter. Here is what the firm has to say:

“S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) contributed to portfolio performance in the third quarter, driven by growth in corporate bond issuance and refinancing activity, with expectations for further acceleration if interest rates decline. The company has also achieved better-than-expected expense and revenue synergies from its acquisition of IHS Markit.”

S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) pays a quarterly dividend of $0.91 per share. Thanks to its diverse revenue sources and strong history of effective cash management, the company has proven to be a reliable dividend payer, consistently increasing its annual dividend for 52 consecutive years. The stock has a dividend yield of 0.70%, as of November 25.

As per Insider Monkey’s database of Q3 2024, 85 hedge funds owned stakes in S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI), down from 90 in the preceding quarter. The consolidated value of these stakes is over $9.85 billion. With over 10.4 million shares, TCI Fund Management was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q3.