In this article, we will be taking a look at 5 dividend stocks to buy and hold. To read our detailed analysis of dividend investing, you can go directly to see the 10 Dividend Stocks to Buy and Hold.
5. The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 69
Dividend Yield: 2.4%
The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) is another consumer staples company on our list, and an American multinational corporation based in Cincinnati, Ohio. The company was founded in 1837 and is one of the best dividend stocks to buy and hold, having raised its yield consecutively for 65 years.
Deutsche Bank analyst Steve Powers holds a Buy rating on shares of The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) as of this October, alongside a price target of $160.
In the fiscal first quarter of 2022, The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) had an EPS of $1.61, beating estimates by $0.02. The company’s revenue was $20.34 billion, up 5.28% year over year and beating estimates by $445.19 million. The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) has also gained 7.39% in the past six months and 7.87% year to date.
From Insider Monkey’s tracked hedge funds, 69 held stakes in The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) in the third quarter worth about $64 billion. In the second quarter in comparison, 68 hedge funds held stakes in the company worth about $69 billion.
4. Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 74
Dividend Yield: 3.5%
Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) is a company operating in the pharmaceuticals industry, based in New York. The company is among the largest of its kind in the world, and is reportedly consistently ranked on the Fortune 500 list of the largest US corporation. It is among the best dividend stocks to buy and hold, having raised its dividend yield for 73 years in a row.
BMO Capital analyst Evan Seigerman holds an Outperform rating on shares of Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) as of this November. The analyst also holds a $72 price target on the stock.
For the third quarter, it was reported that Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) had an EPS of $2, beating estimates by $0.08. The company’s revenue was $11.62 billion, up 10.28% year over year and beating estimates by $100.06 million.
Our data on 867 hedge funds shows that in the third quarter of 2021, 74 hedge funds held stakes in Bristol Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) worth $4.8 billion. In the second quarter, 73 hedge funds held stakes in the company worth $5.2 billion.
3. Merck & Company Inc. (NYSE:MRK)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 77
Dividend Yield: 3.2%
Merck & Company Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is another pharmaceutical company on our list and is based in New Jersey. The company is one of the most noteworthy dividend stocks to buy and hold, based on future prospects for the company. For instance, analyst David Toung from Argus expects a $5 billion to $7 billion revenue for the company in 2022 based on business opportunities.
Robyn Karnauskas, an analyst at Truist, holds a Buy rating on shares of Merck & Company Inc. (NYSE:MRK) as of this November. The analyst also holds a $95 price target on the stock.
Merck & Company Inc.’s (NYSE:MRK) third quarter earnings report shows an EPS of $1.75, beating estimates by $0.20. The company’s revenue was $13.15 billion, up 4.80% year over year and beating estimates by $833.53 million. Merck & Company Inc. (NYSE:MRK) has also gained 11.34% in the past six months and 6.58% year to date.
Insider Monkey’s hedge fund data shows that 77 hedge funds held stakes in Merck & Company Inc. (NYSE:MRK) in the third quarter of 2021. The total stake value was $4.6 billion. In the second quarter, 79 hedge funds held stakes in the company, worth about $5.3 billion.
2. AbbVie Inc (NYSE:ABBV)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 81
Dividend Yield: 4.8%
AbbVie Inc (NYSE:ABBV) is a publicly-traded biopharmaceuticals corporation. The company was founded not long ago, in 2013, and originated as an Abbott Laboratories spinoff. Regardless, because of its continued dividend hikes for 50 years in a row, it is now among the top dividend stocks to buy and hold.
Robyn Karnauskas from Truist also raised the price target on shares of AbbVie Inc (NYSE:ABBV), while reiterated a Buy rating on the stock as of this November.
The earnings history for AbbVie Inc (NYSE:ABBV) shows that in the third quarter, the company had an EPS of $3.33, beating estimates by $0.11. The revenue reported was $14.34 billion, up 11.33% year over year and beating estimates by $43.28 million. AbbVie Inc (NYSE:ABBV) has also gained 3.58% in the past six months and 12.57% year to date.
Our hedge fund data collected by tracking 867 hedge funds shows that 81 hedge funds held stakes in AbbVie Inc (NYSE:ABBV) in the third quarter of 2021, worth $4.1 billion. The number of hedge funds holding stakes in the company in the second quarter was 82, worth about $5.4 billion.
1. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 88
Dividend Yield: 2.7%
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is another healthcare or medical company on our list and is among the most popular dividend stocks to buy and hold today, having raised its yield for 59 years consecutively. The company was among the first to come up with an effective vaccine against the coronavirus pandemic as well.
Jayson Bedford from Raymond James holds an Outperform rating on shares of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) as of this October.
The company’s quarterly reports for the third quarter show an EPS of $2.60, beating estimates by $0.25. The revenue was $23.34 billion, up 10.70% year over year and beating the previous quarter’s revenue of $23.31 billion. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) has also gained about 2.39% year to date and 11.53% in the past year.
In the third quarter of 2021, 88 hedge funds held stakes in Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) worth about $6.9 billion. The number of hedge funds holding stakes in the company in the second quarter was the same, at 88, and the stake value was $7.1 billion approximately.
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