Billionaire George Soros’ Top Dividend Picks

Soros Fund Management held 667,334 shares worth $20.9 million in Communications Sales & Leasing Inc (NASDAQ:CSAL) at the end of the third quarter, which constituted 0.52% of the fund’s portfolio as of September 30. This real estate investment trust (REIT) has a very high dividend yield of 9.6%. The company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.60 per common share in November. During its most recent third quarter, Communications Sales & Leasing Inc (NASDAQ:CSAL) posted revenues of $200 million and a net loss of $0.03 per share. The stock has rallied more than 30% in the last one year and has a mean recommendation of buy from most analysts covering the stock. 11.2% of this leading wireless infrastructure solutions providers float was held by 24 hedge funds. Though the number of hedge funds remained the same quarter over quarter, the total value of their holdings declined to $473 million from $489 million in the quarter earlier.

Anheuser Busch Inbev SA NV (ADR) (NYSE:BUD) was another new addition to the portfolio of Soros Fund Management during the third quarter. The fund bought 122,500 call options of this stock valued at more than $16 million as per their last 13F filing. This beer major gives a healthy dividend yield of 3.99% and the latest indicated dividend amount was $1.379 per share. With a portfolio of over 200 beer brands, this company has a market value of $164 billion. The stock has returned more than 69% in the last five year, but has seen a decline of almost 19% since January this year. The booze industry performs decently both in good as well as bad times and Anheuser Busch Inbev SA NV (ADR) (NYSE:BUD) keeps getting bigger and better with new acquisitions. The number of funds from our system owning Anheuser Busch Inbev SA NV (ADR) (NYSE:BUD) during the third quarter declined by 3 to 32. The value of their holdings also came down by 3.3% to $5.85 billion quarter over quarter.

Soros Fund Management bought 45,420 shares in Syngenta AG (ADR) (NYSE:SYT) during the July-September period. It was a new addition to the fund’s portfolio with a value of $3.979 million. The company has a dividend yield of 2.93% and engages in manufacturing of products that increases crop yields and food quality. Syngenta AG (ADR) (NYSE:SYT) posted a net profit margin of 15% and operating margin of 19% during its second quarter ending June. The stock price has gone up by 33% in the last five years, but under performed the S&P 500 index which has has gone up by 89% during the same time period. It is currently trading very near to its 52 week average price. As per our database, the total value of hedge fund holding in this stock increased by 11.67% to $1.22 billion at the end of the third quarter, while the number of funds increased to 36 from 33 quarter over quarter.

Soros Fund Management held 12,985 shares of Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG) having a value of $1.2 million at the end of the third quarter. The fund pared its stake by selling 2,115 shares with Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG) and the stock constituted 0.03% of the fund’s portfolio value as per its latest round of 13F filing. This giant consumer product producer gives a dividend yield of 3.25% and has increased its dividends have by 10% in the last four years. The current quarterly dividend stands at 66 cents per share up from an average of 60 cents per share in 2013. Procter & Gamble Co (NYSE:PG) reported better than expected fiscal first quarter results with net profits of $1.03 per share. This beat analysts’ expectations of $0.98 by 5%. The stock carries a mean recommendation of overweight and has returned more than 30% over the last ten years. The value of hedge fund holdings in this stock increased by a whopping 263% quarter-over-quarter as several hedge funds initiated big positions in the stock during Q3. 71 hedge funds in our system held $20.09 billion worth of PG shares at the end of September.

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