Dividend Stock Portfolio For Income: Top 15 Stocks

Published on April 28, 2024 at 6:54 pm by Vardah Gill in Dividend Stocks, Hedge Funds, News

In this article, we will discuss dividend stocks for regular income. You can skip our detailed analysis of dividend stocks and their historical performance, and go directly to read Dividend Stock Portfolio For Income: Top 5 Stocks.

It is generally believed that dividend stocks are primarily suitable for people approaching retirement. However, this is far from the truth. Dividend stocks have been favored by both seasoned and retail investors alike, as all types of investors seek to generate regular income from their investments. According to a survey conducted by investment platform Magnifi, 49% of Americans mainly invest to earn additional income, exceeding the percentage of those who invest for retirement, which stands at 42%.

Dividend companies, unlike growth companies, share a portion of their profits with shareholders. Though dividend investing seems very straightforward on the surface, implementing this strategy effectively demands thorough and detailed research. Michael Dinich, a financial advisor, spoke about investing in dividend stocks in his interview with Business Insider. Here are some comments from the analyst:

“While low-cost index funds provide easily diversified exposure to the market with minimal effort, selecting individual dividend payers demands continued research to find suitable candidates.”

He further said that dividend stocks are a valuable source of income, which can be reinvested to compound returns or utilized as cash for various purposes. This makes them particularly beneficial for young individuals who are new to investing, as they provide an opportunity to learn about the market while earning income from their investments. This statement of Mr. Dinich aligns with the significant role played by dividend income in the market’s overall returns over long periods. In our article titled 16 Best Passive Income Stocks To Buy According to Hedge Funds, we reported that from 1926 to July 2023, dividend income accounted for 32% of the monthly total return of the S&P 500, while the remaining portion was attributed to capital appreciation.

Investors can achieve more consistent dividend income by concentrating on companies that have established a history of regularly increasing their payouts over time. These dividend growth stocks have shown strong performance in the past. The S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrat Index, which tracks the performance of companies with at least 25 consecutive years of dividend growth, returned 10.68% from its inception in 2005 through December 2023, as we reported in 14 Dividend Growth Stocks with Highest Growth Rates, citing data from ProShares. During this period, the S&P 500 underperformed dividend aristocrats and returned 10.05%. Moreover, dividend aristocrats exhibited a lower volatility of 15.30%, compared with a 16.24% volatility of the benchmark.

Nuveen also reported that dividend growth stocks have provided excess returns during periods of market volatility. The report further mentioned that dividend income can be a valuable addition to capital appreciation strategy, helping to reduce volatility and enhance overall returns. While market downturns can lead to price swings in a portfolio, investing in financially stable companies that can sustain dividend growth can help lessen risks. The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), and Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL) are some of the best dividend growers to generate regular income as these companies have raised their payouts for decades. Moreover, these companies have solid balance sheets with strong financials, which indicate a potential for dividend growth for years ahead. In this article, we will further discuss income companies for a dividend stock portfolio.

Our Methodology:

For this list, we first used a stock screener to pick companies that have raised their dividends for at least 10 consecutive years or more. From that list, we narrowed down our options to companies with dividend yields of at least 2% as of April 28, demonstrating robust financial standings and consistent cash flow, which are indicative of their ability to sustain reliable dividends for passive income. From these companies we picked 15 stocks with the highest number of hedge fund investors, using Insider Monkey’s database of 933 hedge funds and their holdings as of Q4 2023. Hedge funds’ top 10 consensus stock picks outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here).

Photo by nick chong on Unsplash

15. LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 46

LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) is a multinational chemical industry company that specializes in the production of plastics, chemicals, and refining products. The company currently offers a quarterly dividend of $1.25 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.90%, as of April 28. It can be added to a dividend stocks portfolio as the company has been growing its dividends for the past 13 consecutive years.

At the end of Q4 2023, 46 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey reported having stakes in LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB), growing from 36 in the previous quarter. The consolidated value of these stakes is nearly $520 million. Among these hedge funds, AQR Capital Management was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q4.

14. Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 54

Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL) is a New York-based manufacturing company that deals in multinational consumer products. On March 14, the company declared a 4% hike in its quarterly dividend to $0.50 per share. This marked the company’s 62nd consecutive year of dividend growth, which makes CL one of the best stocks for a dividend stocks portfolio. The stock has a dividend yield of 2.20%, as recorded on April 28.

As of the close of Q4 2023, 54 hedge funds in Insider Monkey’s database held stakes in Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL), up from 52 in the previous quarter. These stakes have a collective value of over $2.8 billion.

13. 3M Company (NYSE:MMM)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 62

3M Company (NYSE:MMM) is next on our list of the best stocks for a dividend stocks portfolio. The Minnesota-based multinational conglomerate currently offers a quarterly dividend of $1.51 per share for a dividend yield of 6.58%, as of April 28. The company’s dividend growth streak currently spans over 66 years.

3M Company (NYSE:MMM) reported an operating cash flow of over $6.7 billion in FY23 and its free cash flow came in at $6.3 billion. During the year, the company returned $3.3 billion to shareholders through dividends.

The number of hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey owning stakes in 3M Company (NYSE:MMM) grew to 32 in Q4 2023, from 54 in the previous quarter. The overall value of these stakes is more than $1.75 billion. With over 3.1 million shares, Balyasny Asset Management was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q4.

12. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 62

An American multinational beverage company, The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) offers a quarterly dividend of $0.485 per share, having raised it by 5.4% in February this year. Through this increase, Warren Buffett’s favorite company achieved its 62nd consecutive annual dividend hike, which makes KO one of the best stocks for a dividend stock portfolio. As of April 28, the stock has a dividend yield of 3.14%.

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) was a part of 62 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q4 2023, up from 58 in the previous quarter, as per Insider Monkey’s database. The stakes owned by these hedge funds have a total value of nearly $27 billion. Berkshire Hathaway owned 400 million shares in the company in Q4, becoming its top stakeholder.

11. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 63

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is an American multinational telecommunications company that offers a wide range of related services and products to its consumers. The company offers a quarterly dividend of $0.665 per share and has a dividend yield of 6.70%, as of April 28. It is one of the best stocks for a dividend stock portfolio as the company has been growing its dividends for the past 17 years.

According to Insider Monkey’s database of Q4 2023, 63 hedge funds held stakes in Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), up from 61 in the previous quarter. These stakes have a total value of over $2.6 billion.

10. Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 68

Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM) is one of the largest tobacco companies in the world that specializes in the manufacturing of cigarettes and other tobacco-related products. The company announced a quarterly dividend of $1.30 per share on March 7, which fell in line with its previous dividend. Overall, it has raised its payouts for 14 consecutive years, which makes PM one of the best dividend stocks on our list. The stock has a dividend yield of 5.47%, as of April 28.

Insider Monkey’s database of Q4 2023 indicated that 68 hedge funds held stakes in Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE:PM), up from 62 in the previous quarter. These stakes are collectively valued at over $5.5 billion. With over 15 million shares, Fundsmith LLP was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q4.

9. The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 70

The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD) is an American home improvement company that specializes in related tools and services for its consumers. The company’s dividend growth streak currently comes in at 14 years and it offers a quarterly dividend of $2.25 per share. As of April 28, the stock has a dividend yield of 2.69%. In FY23, the company remained committed to its shareholder obligation, returning over $8.3 billion to investors through dividends.

At the end of December 2023, 70 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey invested in The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:HD), compared with 76 in the previous quarter. The stakes held by these hedge funds have a total value of nearly $6 billion.

8. Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 71

An American energy company, Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) is next on our list of reliable stocks for a dividend stock portfolio. In FY23, its cash position remained strong as the company paid nearly $11 billion to shareholders in dividends. In addition to this, it has been growing its dividends for the past 37 years consistently. The company currently offers a quarterly dividend of $1.63 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.93%, as recorded on April 28.

As per Insider Monkey’s database of Q4 2023, 71 hedge funds held stakes in Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX), down slightly from 72 in the previous quarter. These stakes have a total value of over $21.6 billion. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q4.

7. The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 71

The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) is an Ohio-based consumer goods manufacturing company. It announced a 7% increase in its quarterly dividend on April 9 to $1.0065 per share. This marked the company’s 68th consecutive year of dividend growth, which makes PG one of the best stocks for a dividend stock portfolio. The stock’s dividend yield on April 28 came in at 2.50%.

With a collective stake value of roughly $6 billion, 71 hedge funds in Insider Monkey’s database held positions in The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG), compared with 75 in the preceding quarter.

6. AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 76

AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) ranks sixth on our list of the best stocks for a dividend stock portfolio. The company currently pays a quarterly dividend of $1.55 per share and has been growing its payouts for 51 consecutive years. The stock supports a dividend yield of 3.88%, as of April 28.

The number of hedge funds holding stakes in AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) grew to 76 in Q4 2023, from 73 in the previous quarter, as per Insider Monkey’s database. These stakes are collectively valued at over $3.5 billion. Among these hedge funds, Marshall Wace LLP was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q4.

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