Dividend Aristocrats Ranked: Top 5 According To Hedge Funds

1. S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 90

S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) specializes in financial information and analytics. In January, Argus raised its price target on the stock to $380 with a Buy rating on the shares, appreciating the company’s focus on its faster-growing financial business.

S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.93%, as of January 18. The company has raised its dividends consistently for the past 49 years. In the first nine months of FY22, the company returned $749 million to shareholders in dividends.

As of the close of Q3 2022, 90 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey owned stakes in S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI), compared with 84 in the previous quarter. These stakes have a collective value of $6.2 billion. Among these hedge funds, TCI Fund Management was the company’s largest stakeholder in Q3.

Baron Funds mentioned S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) in its Q3 2022 investor letter. Here is what the firm has to say:

“Shares of rating agency and data provider S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) fell 9% during the third quarter due to continued weak debt issuance activity and headwinds to the Indices business from equity market declines. Credit markets were exceptionally soft during the quarter with non-financial corporate bond issuance down 36% for investment grade and down 84% for high yield, reflecting greater investor risk aversion, rising interest rates, and a drop-off in M&A activity. We believe this ratings weakness is temporary and diversification benefits from the acquisition of IHS Markit should support earnings growth next year. Over the long term, the company should continue benefiting from the secular trends of increasing bond issuance, growth in passive investing, and demand for data and analytics, while enjoying meaningful and durable competitive advantages that, in our view, are only strengthening following the merger with IHS Markit.”

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