13 Best Foreign Dividend Stocks To Buy According to Analysts

4. Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS)

Dividend Yield as of February 12: 3.57%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 24

Average Upside Potential: 30.18%

Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) is a Swiss global healthcare company that develops prescription medicines across multiple therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular, immunology, neuroscience, oncology, and ophthalmology. On February 11, 2025, the company announced that it is buying back Anthos Therapeutics in a deal worth up to $3.1 billion, reclaiming the rights to abelacimab, a potential breakthrough in stroke and blood clot prevention. Blackstone Life Sciences had originally licensed the drug from Novartis in 2019, backing its development with a $250 million investment in clinical trials. The company is paying $925 million upfront to take full ownership, with the possibility of additional payments based on future milestones.

Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) had a strong Q4 2024, with net income soaring 26% to $3.93 billion, beating Wall Street’s expectations. The company now projects 5%+ sales growth until 2029. Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) also hit a record-high free cash flow of $16.3 billion, up 24%, given its focus on pharmaceuticals. It plans $5.4 billion in share buybacks for 2025 and increased its dividend by 6% to CHF 3.50 per share, commemorating 28 consecutive years of dividend growth.

According to Insider Monkey’s third-quarter database, 24 hedge funds held stakes in Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS), compared to 30 funds in the last quarter. Jim Simons’ Renaissance Technologies was the biggest stakeholder in the company, with 2.30 million shares worth $264.6 million.