5 Best March Dividend Stocks To Buy

In this article, we discuss 5 best March dividend stocks to buy. If you want to read our detailed discussion on dividend stocks and their performance over the years, go directly to read 10 Best March Dividend Stocks To Buy. 

5. Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (NYSE:MPW)

Ex-Dividend Date: March 15
Dividend Yield as of February 17: 9.01%

Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (NYSE:MPW) is an Alabama-based real estate investment trust company that invests in healthcare facilities. In December, Mizuho maintained a Buy rating on the stock with an $18 price target. The firm highlighted the company’s performance in the past year.

On February 16, Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (NYSE:MPW) declared a quarterly dividend of $0.29 per share, which fell in line with its previous dividend. The company maintains a 9-year streak of consistent dividend growth, which places it as one of the best dividend stocks on our list. As of February 17, the stock has a dividend yield of 9.01%. It will be trading ex-dividend on March 15.

Medical Properties Trust, Inc. (NYSE:MPW) was a popular buy among elite funds in Q3 2022, with hedge funds positions growing to 23, from 15 in the previous quarter. The stakes owned by these funds have a total value of nearly $340 million.

4. Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF)

Ex-Dividend Date: March 16
Dividend Yield as of February 17: 4.19%

Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF) is an American insurance company, based in Florida. The company provides insurance-related and settlement services to its consumers. In January, Barclays raised its price target on the stock to $53 with an oVerweight rating on the shares. The firm gave a neutral stance on the US consumer finance sector.

Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF) currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.45 per share, which has a dividend yield of 4.19%, as of February 17. The company has been raising its dividends for nearly a decade now. The stock will go ex-dividend on March 16 and will be payable to shareholders of record on March 17.

At the end of September 2022, 30 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey reported owning stakes in Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF), with a total value of roughly $874 million.

Third Avenue Management mentioned Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF) in its Q3 2022 investor letter. Here is what the firm has to say:

“Fidelity National Financial, Inc. (NYSE:FNF) (2.4% of Fund Assets), which is planning to distribute a 15% stake in its wholly-owned life-insurance subsidiary (F&G Annuities & Life) having now established the segment at significant scale with approximately $40 billion of assets under management. This transaction will leave the FNF Group with a listed proxy for the value of its retained 85% stake in F&G, as well as a “net cash” balance sheet and market leading position in US title insurance (and other transaction-related activity) through its wholly-owned Fidelity National Financial subsidiary.”

3. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO)

Ex-Dividend Date: March 16
Dividend Yield as of February 17: 2.97%

An American multinational beverage company, The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) is next on our list of the best dividend stocks. The company hiked its quarterly dividend by 4.5% on February 16, taking its dividend growth streak to 61 years. It pays a quarterly dividend of $0.46 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.97%, as of February 17. The stock will trade ex-dividend on March 16 and is payable to shareholders of record on March 17.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) reported revenue of over $10 billion, up 6.3% from the same period last year. For FY22, the company generated over $11 billion in operating cash flow and its free cash flow amounted to over $9.5 billion. Its cash flow generation was sufficient to fulfill $7.6 billion worth of dividends.

Citigroup appreciated the gross margin improvement of The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) and raised its price target on the stock to $68 with a Buy rating on the shares.

At the end of Q3 2022, 59 hedge funds in Insider Monkey’s database owned investments in The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO), worth over $25 billion.

Rowan Street Capital mentioned The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) in its Q4 2022 investor letter. Here is what the firm has to say:

“Let’s take The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) for example. Its dividend yield is 2.8%, earnings are estimated to grow at only 3.6% rate per year over next 4 years, and its earnings multiple is currently at 24x (based on next years forecasted earnings). KO has an anemic growth, so we can argue that paying 24x earnings is not very attractive. Let’s assume that the multiple will stay constant over the next 3-5 years, thus our expected annual returns will be 2.8%+3.6% = 6.4% (that is below the current reported inflation rate and only slightly above the risk-free rate of 4%).”

2. Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW)

Ex-Dividend Date: March 30
Dividend Yield as of February 17: 2.21%

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) is an Illinois-based manufacturing company that deals in a wide range of specialty products. Following the company’s Q4 earnings, UBS raised its price target on the stock to $245 in February and maintained a Neutral rating on the shares.

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) will trade ex-dividend on March 30. The company announced a quarterly dividend of $1.31 per share on February 10. It holds a 50-year streak of consistent dividend growth, which places it as one of the best dividend stocks on our list. As of February 17, the stock’s dividend yield came in at 2.21%.

At the end of September, 27 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey reported owning stakes in Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW), worth roughly $630 million. Fisher Asset Management was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q3.

1. Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE:CAH)

Ex-Dividend Date: March 31
Dividend Yield as of February 17: 2.52%

Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE:CAH) is an American multinational healthcare services company, based in Ohio. The company currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.4957 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.52%, as of February 17. The stock will be trading ex-dividend on March 31. The company has been raising its dividends regularly for 36 years.

At the end of Q3 2022, 45 hedge funds in Insider Monkey’s database owned stakes in Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE:CAH), up from 44 a quarter earlier. The stakes owned by these hedge funds have a total value of over $1.03 billion.

Ariel Investments mentioned Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE:CAH) in its Q3 2022 investor letter. Here is what the firm has to say:

“Additionally, distributor of pharmaceutical and medical products Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE:CAH) advanced in the period as leadership changes were viewed to be a positive for shares. Management provided a new profit outlook for Fiscal 2023 and announced an improvement plan for the medical segment. We are encouraged by these changes and think CAH’s underlying fundamentals and competitive advantages around preventative maintenance screenings and medication management will continue to improve. We believe valuations of health care companies like CAH that focus on cost optimization and promote technological efficiency across the supply chain will be rewarded over the long term.”

You can also take a look at Early Retirement Portfolio: 15 Stocks to Live Off Dividends and Value Investor Joel Greenblatt’s Dividend Stocks

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