12 Best Financial Sector Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now

4. 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. For the quarter ending December 31, the financial services intelligence firm reported a 14% increase in revenue compared to the previous year, while adjusted earnings per share (EPS) climbed 20% to $3.77. Adding to the positive momentum, the company provided an optimistic outlook for the coming year and announced a new share repurchase program.

A key measure of operating momentum is billed issuance, which represents the total value of rated credit instruments. In 2024, this metric hit a record $3.9 trillion, marking a 54% increase from the prior year, driven by favorable market conditions, including tight credit spreads and lower interest rates. S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI)’s Ratings segment revenue showed a 31% year-over-year growth in 2024, with a notable shift beyond the traditional focus on investment-grade and high-yield debt. The company has been expanding into other loan categories and structured products, further diversifying its revenue streams.

S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI)’s cash position also came in strong. In FY24, the company posted an operating cash flow of $5.7 billion, up from $3.7 billion in 2023. The free cash flow also jumped to $5.27 billion, from $3.2 billion in a year-ago period. This cash flow enabled the company to return $1.1 billion to shareholders through dividends.

On January 28, S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) declared a 5.5% hike in its quarterly dividend to $0.96 per share. This marked the company’s 53rd consecutive year of dividend growth, which makes SPGI one of the best dividend stocks on our list. The stock offers a dividend yield of 0.71%, as of February 16.