12 Best International Dividend Stocks To Buy Now

4. Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO)

Dividend Yield as of February 11: 1.75%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 61

Founded in 1923, Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) is a Danish pharmaceutical company that provides insulin, obesity medications, and hormone therapies. 2024 was a strong year for Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO), with sales climbing 25% to $40.6 billion, but the company expects growth to slow in 2025. The stock has dropped 40% since last June, as investors worry about demand for obesity drugs and mixed trial results. Analysts observe that the first half of 2024 was exciting, but things cooled down when US prescription growth slowed and some drug trials underperformed. Political uncertainty, especially with Trump’s election, has also made investors nervous.

In 2024, Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) raised its total dividend per share by 21.3% to DKK 11.40, which includes an interim dividend of DKK 3.50 distributed in August. This is the 29th consecutive year of dividend growth at NVO. Novo Nordisk is one of the best dividend stocks on our list. Looking ahead to 2025, the company expects capital expenditures of around DKK 65 billion but has no plans for share repurchases. In 2025, Novo Nordisk expects a free cash flow of around DKK 75 to 85 billion and sales growth of 16-24% at constant exchange rates.

According to Insider Monkey’s Q3 data, 61 hedge funds held stakes in Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO), compared to 67 funds in Q2. Ken Fisher’s Fisher Asset Management is the biggest stakeholder in the company, with 13.3 million shares worth $1.58 billion.