In this article, we will take a look at some of the best overlooked stocks that pay dividends.
In recent times, dividend investing—also known as equity income—has fallen out of favor. Once a widely followed and dependable strategy, it has gradually been overshadowed. The strong capital gains delivered by growth stocks appear to have shifted investors’ attention away from the more stable and consistent returns that come with dividend-paying stocks.
However, the recent market downturn, combined with the economic impact of Trump’s trade policies, has brought renewed attention and appeal to these types of stocks. The S&P Dividend Aristocrats Index, which tracks the performance of companies with at least 25 consecutive years of dividend growth, has fallen by a little over 2% since the start of 2025, compared with a 6% fall in the broader market.
Dividend stocks have seen mixed results over different economic cycles—performing well in some downturns and falling behind in others. They generally outpaced the broader market during the recessions starting in July 1981, March 2001, and December 2007. However, their performance lagged during the shorter recessions in 1980 and 2020. This was mainly due to dividend cuts from major firms, along with limited exposure to fast-growing tech names. For context, the steepest drop in dividends came during the 2008–09 financial crisis, when S&P dividend payouts declined by 24%, though investors still received 76% of their income.
That said, while the possibility of dividend reductions is a valid concern and a potential drawback of this strategy, it shouldn’t be a reason to overlook dividend stocks altogether. When incorporated thoughtfully, they can still play a valuable role in a well-rounded investment portfolio.
M&G Investments noted that dividends serve as more than just income—they also signal a company’s financial health and management’s confidence. While short-term market returns often hinge on stock valuations, dividends play a much more substantial role in driving equity returns over longer periods, such as 10 or 20 years. The report also mentioned, citing Bloomberg’s data, that dividends play a vital role in long-term returns. Over the last 25 years, nearly half of the total gains from US stocks have come from reinvested dividends and the power of compounding. During this period, the broader market delivered an average annual return of 7.4%, with 55% attributed to rising stock prices and the remaining 45% coming from reinvested dividend income.
The fact that dividends are not guaranteed highlights a deeper financial story behind corporate decisions. Companies must carefully weigh the trade-off between returning profits to shareholders and keeping enough earnings on hand to support future expansion. Getting this balance right is a strategic task.
A particularly high dividend payout ratio—typically above 75%, though this varies by sector—can raise red flags about sustainability. When too much profit is paid out, there’s little room left to increase dividends down the line. This could eventually lead a company to scale back or even stop its dividend payments altogether, which may hold back both business growth and long-term gains in share value. Given this, we will take a look at some overlooked stocks that pay dividends.
Our Methodology:
For this list, we thoroughly reviewed reputable sources such as Forbes, Morningstar, Barron’s, and Business Insider and searched for stocks that remain under the radar but have strong balance sheets and sound financials. In addition, these lesser-known dividend companies also boast dividend growth track records, which make them a reliable option for income investors. After compiling our data, we picked 10 companies with the highest number of hedge fund investors, as per Insider Monkey’s Q4 2024 database.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
10. Silgan Holdings Inc. (NYSE:SLGN)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 21
Silgan Holdings Inc. (NYSE:SLGN) is an American manufacturing company, headquartered in Connecticut. The company specializes in packaging for consumer goods. It has expanded over the years to become a prominent global provider of sustainable rigid packaging solutions for consumer goods, with operations spanning 107 manufacturing sites across four continents. In the past 12 months, the stock has surged by nearly 10%.
Silgan Holdings Inc. (NYSE:SLGN) reported strong earnings in the fourth quarter of 2024. The company posted revenue of $1.4 billion, which showed a 5.3% growth from the same period last year. The revenue also beat analysts’ estimates by $12.4 million. During the quarter, the company completed the acquisition of Weener Packaging. It also reported record Adjusted EBIT for its Dispensing and Specialty Closures segment and marked three straight quarters of double-digit volume growth in its dispensing product line.
Silgan Holdings Inc. (NYSE:SLGN)’s cash position also remained stable in 2024. During the year, the company generated an operating cash flow of $721.9 million, and its free cash flow came in at $391.3 million, both showing growth from $482.6 million and $356.7 million, respectively, in 2023. The company is also a solid dividend payer. In February, it declared a 5% hike in its quarterly dividend to $0.20 per share. This marked the company’s 21st consecutive year of dividend growth. With a dividend yield of 1.56%, as of April 25, SLGN is one of the best overlooked stocks.
9. Exponent, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPO)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 21
Exponent, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPO) is a California-based global engineering and technology consulting company that provides specialized knowledge across roughly 90 technical fields to clients worldwide. The company’s results came in strong in the fourth quarter of 2025. Its revenue came in at $123.7 million, which showed a 9% growth on a YoY basis and also beat analysts’ estimates by $4.17 million. The company’s net income came in at $23.6 million, up from $20.9 million in the prior-year period. EBITDA1 rose to $31.2 million, representing 25.2% of revenues before reimbursements, up from $30.5 million, or 26.8% of revenues before reimbursements, during the same period in 2023.
Exponent, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPO) also demonstrated a strong cash position. The company ended the quarter with nearly $259 million available in cash and cash equivalents, up from $187 million in 2023. In FY24, it returned $58.3 million to shareholders through dividends. Currently, it offers a quarterly dividend of $0.30 per share, having raised it by 7.1% in February. Through this increase, the company stretched its dividend growth streak to 12 years, which makes EXPO one of the best overlooked stocks that pay dividends. As of April 25, the stock has a dividend yield of 1.52%.
At the end of Q4 2024, 21 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey reported having stakes in Exponent, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPO), up from 19 in the previous quarter. The overall value of these stakes is over $174.4 million. Among these hedge funds, Fundsmith LLP was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q4.
