14 Best Performing Dividend Stocks To Buy Now

5. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)

Year-to-Date Return as of March 7: 16.06%

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is an American pharmaceutical company that operates through its subsidiaries to develop, manufacture, and market a wide range of healthcare products. The company is one of the strongest dividend payers in the market, having raised its payouts for 62 consecutive years. Currently, it pays a quarterly dividend of $1.24 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.98%, as of March 7.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) posted $22.5 billion in revenue, reflecting a 5.2% increase from the prior year. As a leading healthcare company, it remains focused on addressing diseases with significant unmet medical needs, including multiple myeloma, lung cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and heart failure.

The MedTech division saw 6.2% operational sales growth globally, with acquisitions and divestitures contributing 1.5% to this increase. Growth in the Cardiovascular segment was driven by strong demand for electrophysiology products and Abiomed, while robust sales of wound closure products supported the General Surgery division.

Over the past 15 years, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) has strengthened its position through a strategic shift toward brand-name drug development. Following the 2023 spinoff of its consumer health segment, Kenvue, the company’s innovative medicine segment now accounts for nearly two-thirds of its total sales. While brand-name drugs have a limited window of exclusivity, their strong pricing power and high margins make them a key driver of profitability. JNJ has surged by over 16% in 2025 so far, which makes it one of the best performing stocks on our list.