In this article, we will take a look at some of the best dividend leaders according to Wall Street analysts.

Investors have long been drawn to dividend stocks due to their financial stability and impressive returns, which have consistently outperformed other asset classes over the years. While these stocks may be underperforming at the moment, their long-term returns make them an attractive choice for investors. This means that building wealth through dividends requires patience, as the rewards accumulate over time rather than delivering instant results. The long-term performance of dividend stocks highlights their importance. According to a report by Hartford Funds, over the past several decades, dividends have been a major contributor to investor returns. Since 1960, reinvested dividends and the power of compounding have accounted for 85% of the cumulative total return of the broader market. The report also mentioned that in the 1940s, 1960s, and 1970s—periods when total returns were below 10%—dividends made a significant contribution to overall returns.

Investors often gravitate toward dividend-paying stocks during market downturns or periods of economic uncertainty. Companies with substantial payouts, such as those in utilities and consumer staples, are known for generating consistent earnings regardless of market conditions. However, during market rallies, these stocks typically underperform. This trend has been particularly noticeable since 2020, as mega-tech stocks have frequently driven the market to record highs.

Chris O’Keefe, a portfolio manager at Logan Capital Management, suggested that the growing performance gap between the broader market and dividend stocks this year presents an ideal opportunity for investors to consider buying dividend stocks. In addition to O’Keefe, several analysts are urging investors to focus on dividend stocks, citing their favorable outlook. The Dividend Aristocrats Index, which tracks 66 companies that have consistently increased their dividends annually for the past 25 years, has struggled to keep up with the broader market since 2020. Dividend-paying stocks experienced a resurgence in 2022, as recession fears prompted investors to turn to stable sectors like utilities and consumer goods. However, the rebound was short-lived. By 2023, rising interest rates pushed bond and money-market returns higher than dividend yields, leading major companies to adopt a cautious approach and tighten cash reserves amid economic uncertainty. This year, many of the same leading stocks from the Covid era have once again propelled the market to record highs.

The Dividend Aristocrats Index has risen nearly 5% since the beginning of 2024, while the broader market has returned 24%. Despite underperforming, dividend stocks remain a preferred choice for investors. A Morningstar report revealed that US exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused on dividends held nearly $500 billion in investor assets by the fourth quarter of 2024, with additional billions in actively managed equity income funds. These funds have seen inflows this year, though much smaller compared to the $70 billion they attracted in 2022, which was a strong year for dividends.

Bank of America analyst Ohsung Kwon believes a resurgence in dividend stocks could be on the horizon. His team anticipates that the companies in the broader market will collectively boost their dividend payouts by 10% in 2025, driven by investor demand for cash. Reflecting this trend, even major tech firms have begun distributing dividends. In view of this, we will discuss some of the best dividend leaders according to analysts.

Our Methodology:

For this list, we scanned holdings of First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund (FDL), which tracks the performance of the 100 highest-yielding stocks with consistent growth in dividends and can maintain their dividends in the future. From this list, we further refined our selection criteria by identifying stocks with a projected upside potential of over 15% based on analyst price targets, as of December 19. The stocks are ranked according to their upside potential. We also considered hedge fund sentiment around each stock using Insider Monkey’s data for Q3 2024.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points. (see more details here).

8. Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK)

Upside Potential as of December 19: 17.3%

Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) is an American electric power and natural gas holding company that is primarily involved in the generation, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity. the company’s utility portfolio, which is regulated by government agencies that determine its rates, provides a consistent revenue stream, ensuring stable cash flow for paying dividends and expanding its operations. The company is making significant investments to improve its operations and reduce its carbon footprint. According to analysts, these investments are expected to drive earnings per share growth at a rate of 5% to 7% annually through 2028, which is a solid growth rate for a large utility. This trajectory positions Duke Energy well to continue growing its dividend. the stock has surged by nearly 9.5% since the start of 2024.

In the third quarter of 2024, Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) reported revenue of $8.15 billion, which showed a 2% growth from the same period last year. The revenue beat analysts’ estimates by $57.4 million. The Regulated electric segment generated operating revenues of $7.78 billion, reflecting a 1.8% increase compared to the previous year. This segment accounted for 95.4% of the total revenues for the quarter. Meanwhile, the Regulated natural gas segment saw revenues of $298 million, marking a 4.9% year-over-year increase.

Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) also reported a solid cash position, as the company ended the quarter with $376 million available in cash and cash equivalents. in the first nine months of the year, the company generated an operating cash flow of $8.95 billion, up from $7.31 billion in the same period last year. It is one of the best dividend leaders on our list as the company has a 98-year run of paying regular dividends to shareholders. Moreover, it has raised its payouts for 13 consecutive years. The company pays a quarterly dividend of $1.045 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.9%, as of December 19.

The number of hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey owning stakes in Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK) grew to 46 in Q3 2024, from 37 in the previous quarter. These stakes have a total value of over $1.66 billion. With roughly 4.4 million shares, GQG Partners was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q3.

7. Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ:HBAN)

Upside Potential as of December 19: 19.1%

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ:HBAN) is an Ohio-based bank holding company that offers a wide range of banking products and services to its consumers. The year 2023 posed challenges for several regional banks due to the rapid rise in interest rates, leaving some struggling to adapt. In response, Huntington Bancshares took action to safeguard itself from the potential impact of further interest rate hikes. The bank introduced a pay-fixed swaption program, which acted like insurance on its portfolio. This program was designed to protect the market value of its securities if interest rates were to rise by an additional two to three percentage points, providing a hedge against future rate shocks.

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ:HBAN) is generating solid returns this year, surging by nearly 24% since the start of 2024. In the third quarter of 2024, the company posted revenue of $1.89 billion, which was flat when compared to the same period last year, but surpassed analysts’ estimates by $30 million. The company achieved strong loan growth and continued to gather deposits during the quarter, while actively implementing its down-rate action plans. In addition, it also showed a strong performance in its value-added fee businesses.

During the quarter, Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ:HBAN)’s credit performance remained strong, with stable net charge-offs and improved ratios for nonperforming and criticized assets, aligning with the company’s moderate-to-low risk approach. Customer strength and resilience continued to support an optimistic outlook. The company expects loan growth to accelerate in the fourth quarter, driven by its core businesses and successful implementation of new initiatives, which are exceeding expectations. With robust loan pipelines entering the fourth quarter, it believes this growth momentum will lay the groundwork for increased revenue and profitability in 2025.

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ:HBAN), one of the best dividend leaders, has been making regular dividends to shareholders since 1989. The company offers a quarterly dividend of $0.155 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.9%, as of December 19.

At the end of Q3 2024, 34 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey held stakes in Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (NASDAQ:HBAN), up from 32 in the previous quarter. The consolidated value of these stakes is over $445.6 million. Among these hedge funds, Point72 Asset Management was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q3.