10 Best FTSE Dividend Stocks To Buy Now

1. Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 50

Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) tops our list of the best FTSE dividend stocks. The London-based oil and gas company currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.688 per ADS and its stock has dividend yield of 3.90%. In February, the company raised its payout seventh time after slashing its dividend in 2020 in the face of the pandemic, which plummeted oil prices. Moreover, it has paid regular dividends to shareholders since 1985.

For the first quarter, Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) reported a nearly 17% year-over-year decline in revenue at $72.5 billion. However, its cash position remains strong, offering reassurance to investors. The company’s operating cash flow for the quarter came in at $13.3 billion and it returned $5 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. Moreover, it completed $3.5 billion of share buybacks that were announced in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Despite fluctuations in oil prices. Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL)’s production remained intact. In the first quarter, its total oil and gas production rose by 10% compared to the previous quarter, driven by reduced maintenance at Prelude and Pearl GTL facilities. LNG liquefaction volumes also increased by 7%, largely due to decreased maintenance at Prelude.

Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) is dedicated to achieving a 100% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050. Until 2030, it plans to maintain oil production at 1.4 million barrels per day. Moreover, the company aims to expand its liquefied natural gas business, expecting a demand increase of over 50% by 2040. The company’s balanced strategy appears somewhat successful, as seen in its latest quarterly adjusted earnings of $7.7 billion, exceeding both analysts’ forecasts and the previous quarter’s earnings of $7.3 billion.

The number of hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey holding stakes in Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) grew to 50 in at the end of March, from 46 a quarter earlier. The total value of these stakes is more than $5.5 billion.

While we acknowledge the potential of energy companies, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is as promising as NVIDIA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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