Dividend Achievers List: Top 15

7. Black Hills Corporation (NYSE:BKH)

Dividend Yield as of September 22: 4.28%

Black Hills Corporation (NYSE:BKH) ranks seventh on our dividend achievers list. The American natural gas distribution company provides electric and gas utility services across the country. The stock is underperforming the broader market this year so far, returning over 11%. A key factor behind the stock’s decline was the company’s higher leverage compared to many of its peers, which became a drawback as interest rates increased. However, with the US central bank cutting interest rates for the first time in four years, the company is now better positioned to improve its performance.

Black Hills Corporation (NYSE:BKH) continues to make strides in its customer-focused strategy and is looking forward to powering Meta’s new AI data center in Cheyenne, which is expected to come online in 2026. The team remains successful in attracting new data centers due to its top-tier reliability and innovative energy solutions, including specialized tariffs and a capital-light energy procurement model.

Black Hills Corporation (NYSE:BKH) is a strong dividend payer with 54 consecutive years of dividend growth. The company pays a quarterly dividend of $0.65 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.28%, as of September 22. In the past five years, it has raised its payouts at an annual average rate of nearly 5%.

As of the close of Q2 2024, 22 hedge funds in Insider Monkey’s database owned stakes in Black Hills Corporation (NYSE:BKH), compared with 27 in the previous quarter. These stakes have a consolidated value of $136 million. With over 1.1 million shares, AQR Capital Management was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q2.