14 Best Performing Dividend Stocks To Buy Now

6. Mondelez International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLZ)

Year-to-Date Return as of March 7: 14.98%

Mondelez International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLZ) is a global food, confectionery, and beverage company with a workforce of around 80,000 employees worldwide. The company’s products are sold in 150 countries. In the fourth quarter of 2024, it reported $9.6 billion in revenue, marking a 3.11% increase from the previous year. However, this figure fell short of market expectations by more than $51 million. For the full year, revenue grew 4.3% year-over-year, with gains across both developed and emerging markets. The chocolate segment expanded by 7.4% in 2024, while key global brands like Cadbury Dairy Milk and Milka delivered strong performance.

To strengthen its portfolio, Mondelez International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLZ) acquired a majority stake in Evirth, a major player in China’s fast-growing frozen-to-chilled baked snacks market. This acquisition aligns with Mondelez’s strategy to drive growth in the cakes and pastries segment, which remains a key focus alongside its chocolate and biscuit categories. With a YTD return of nearly 15%, MDLZ is one of the best performing stocks on our list.

Mondelez International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLZ) ended fiscal 2024 with a solid cash position, reporting $4.9 billion in operating cash flow and $3.5 billion in free cash flow. The company also returned $4.7 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. With 11 consecutive years of dividend increases, it continues to prioritize shareholder returns. The company offers a quarterly dividend of $0.47 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.78%, as of March 7.