In this article, we will be taking a look at 10 dividend stocks to buy and hold. To skip our detailed analysis of dividend investing, you can go directly to see the 5 Dividend Stocks to Buy and Hold.
Apart from typical blue chip stocks like Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), dividend stocks can also be looked at as a smart investment vehicle. A recent Global X report shows why, by primarily looking at higher-yielding dividend stocks. The report focuses on the expected performance of dividend stocks in rising rate environments. It builds its conclusions on strong evidence collected by observing the performance of said stocks from 1960 to 2017, lending the report great credibility.
Based on intuition, it can be seen that rising interest rates in the US can lead to investor concern when it comes to the market. As such, many are drawn to dividend stocks as active hedges in their portfolios. The report found evidence to back up this perception of dividend stocks as good investments in rising interest rate environments particularly when they are higher-yielding stocks. High dividend stocks were reported to have generated an average annual dividend yield of 6.4%, firstly.
Secondly, the total return of these stocks also outperformed the S&P 500 by about 3% on an annualized basis. And lastly, in 7 interest rate periods out of the 10 under study since 1960, these dividend stocks were also overwhelmingly outperforming the S&P 500 as a matter of fact.
When considering whether or not it’s still profitable to invest in dividend stocks, one can often be at a standstill. However, a recent Reuters analysis of Refinitiv data shows that about 3,394 global companies will be paying out about $1.37 trillion to their shareholders in dividends in 2021. The companies all have market capitalization of at least $1 billion. Of these companies and their dividends, US dividends are expected to see an 8.6% increase in 2021, growing to about $562.3 billion.
Hence, despite the slow growth and even the downfall of dividend stocks in 2020 and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it can now be said that dividend stocks are beginning to regain their charm and their profitability for individual shareholders.
Apart from what’s already been stated, more evidence to substantiate this claim comes from Janus Henderson’s statements in a November report that 90% of global companies raised their dividends or held them steady so far in 2021. The report also mentioned that these global companies delivered about $403.5 billion in the third quarter of 2021, showcasing a 22% increase compared to the amount generated in the third quarter of 2020.
Photo by Vitaly Taranov on Unsplash
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the 10 dividend stocks to buy and hold.
Our Methodology
Insider Monkey tracks the data of about 867 hedge funds as of the third quarter of 2021, and we have used this data to pick dividend stocks that are highly popular among hedge funds today. For each stock we have mentioned its yield and the number of hedge funds having stakes in it, ranking them from the lowest to the highest number of hedge funds.
Dividend Stocks to Buy and Hold
10. PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 61
Dividend Yield: 2.6%
PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) is a global food and beverage company operating in the consumer staples sector. Founded in 1898, the company has since established itself as one of the most renowned multinational companies in existence, with analyst Sean King from UBS commenting that its financial year of 2022 outlook demonstrates not only an accelerating revenue but also a defensive earnings model. Comments like this, made just this October, show that the company is a dividend stock to buy and hold.
Barclays analyst Lauren Lieberman hold an Overweight rating on shares of PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) as of this October, alongside a raised price target of $168.
In the third quarter of 2021, PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) had an EPS of $1.79, beating estimates by $0.06. The company’s revenue was $20.19 billion, up 11.60% year over year and beating estimates by $797.43 million. PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) has gained 10.48% in the past six months and 13.22% year to date.
By the end of the third quarter of 2021, 61 hedge funds out of the 867 tracked by Insider Monkey held stakes in PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) worth roughly $4.4 billion. This is compared to 66 hedge funds in the previous quarter with a total stake value of approximately $5.2 billion.
Like Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) is gaining a lot of attention from elite hedge funds.
9. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 61
Dividend Yield: 3.04%
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) is another consumer staples company specializing in the production and distribution of beverages. The company is based in Atlanta and is among the top dividend stocks to buy and hold, because it has demonstrated dividend stability and increases for the past 59 years in a row. Some of its brands include Coca-Cola, Diet Coke/Coca-Cola Light, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta, Sprite, and Fresca.
Dara Mohsenian, an analyst at Morgan Stanley, reiterated an Overweight rating on shares of The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) this November. The analyst also holds a $65 price target on the stock.
The earnings history of The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) shows that the company had an EPS of $0.65 in the third quarter, beating estimates by $0.07. The company’s revenue was $10.04 billion, up 16.14% year over year and beating estimates by $32.89 million. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) has also gained about 1.17% in the past six months and 5.06% year to date.
Our data shows 61 hedge funds holding stakes in The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) in the third quarter, worth $25.1 billion. In the second quarter, 62 hedge funds held stakes in the company worth $24.9 billion, in comparison.
8. Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 62
Dividend Yield: 2.2%
Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT) is a healthcare equipment company distributing and selling device-based medical therapies. The company is based in Dublin, Ireland, and was founded in 1949. Its main operational segments include the Cardiovascular Portfolio, Neuroscience Portfolio, Medical Surgical Portfolio, and Diabetes Operating Unit segments. Having raised its dividend yield for 44 years in a row, and being among the dividend aristocrats, the company is undoubtedly a dividend stock to buy and hold.
As of this November, David Rescott from Truist holds a Buy rating on shares of Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT). The analyst’s price target on the stock is $142.
For the fiscal second quarter of 2022, Medtronic plc’s (NYSE:MDT) reported EPS was $1.32, beating estimates by $0.03. The company’s revenue was $7.85 billion, up 2.62% year over year. Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT) has also gained about 1% in the past year.
Insider Monkey’s hedge fund data on 867 hedge funds for the third quarter shows that 62 hedge funds held stakes in Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT) in the third quarter, worth about $2.3 billion. Comparatively in the second quarter, 68 hedge funds held stakes in the company worth about $3.4 billion.
Like Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT) is a noteworthy stock many investors are piling into today.
7. Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 64
Dividend Yield: 5.6%
Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) is a natural gas company based in the US and operating multinational in the oil and gas industries. The Texas-based corporation is the largest descendant of John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil. It is renowned as one of the best dividend stocks to buy and hold, having raised its yield for 39 years in a row, and was formed in 1999 through the merger of Exxon and Mobil.
With an $84 price target, Morgan Stanley analyst Devin McDermott hold an Overweight rating on Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) shares as of this October.
The company’s third quarter earnings report shows an EPS of $1.58. The EPS beat estimates by $0.06. Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) also has a revenue of $73.79 billion, up 59.71% year over year and beating estimates by $2.09 billion. Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) has gained about 8.96% in the past six months and 52.96% year to date as well.
Out of 867 hedge funds, 64 held stakes in Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) in the third quarter of 2021. Comparatively, in the second quarter, 68 hedge funds held stakes in the company. The total stake values for both quarters were $4.6 billion and $3.7 billion respectively.
6. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 66
Dividend Yield: 8.5%
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is renowned as one of the top global corporations providing communication services and related products and services. The company is also heralded as being among the top dividend stocks to buy and hold because of its recent business improvements in October. The company reported customer gains at the time, 70% of which were new. It is an American multinational conglomerate holding company and is also the largest provider of mobile telephone services in the US.
KeyBanc analysts upgraded shares of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) this October from Underweight to Sector Weight.
The company’s earnings history shows an EPS of $0.87, beating estimates by $0.08, for the third quarter. The revenue stood at $39.92 billion.
According to our data, 66 hedge funds out of 867 held stakes in AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) in the third quarter, worth about $3.2 billion. The number of hedge funds holding stakes in the company in the second quarter, by comparison, was 68. The total stake value in the second quarter was $2.9 billion.
Like Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a popular stock among investors today.
Click to continue reading and see 5 Dividend Stocks to Buy and Hold.
Suggested articles:
- 12 Best Fitness Stocks To Buy Now
- 10 Best Dividend Paying Stocks to Buy Under $50
- 10 Best Magic Formula Stocks To Buy Now
Disclosure: None. 10 Dividend Stocks to Buy and Hold is originally published on Insider Monkey.
