We recently compiled a list of the 13 Best Dividend Stocks to Buy Under $50. In this article, we are going to take a look at where AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) stands against the other dividend stocks.
AI stocks are stealing the spotlight today as the appetite for these services continues to gain traction globally. This surge in interest has temporarily diverted investor attention from dividend-paying equities. This year, dividend stocks have once again lagged behind the market, a trend highlighted by Dan Lefkovitz, a strategist at Morningstar Indexes, during a recent interview with the firm. Here are some commeants from the analyst:
“I just want to mention two interesting observations. One, interest rates have come down this year, yet dividend-paying stocks have underperformed. There’s this conventional wisdom that we’ve talked about in the past that falling rates are good for dividend payers and rising rates are bad for dividend payers, yet dividend stocks have underperformed in a falling rate environment. Second, outside of the US, dividend stocks are a little bit ahead of the broad market. We can table those, but I just thought they’re interesting to note.”
That said, analysts predict this trend won’t persist, as dividend stocks are expected to regain their strength and prominence soon. Bank of America analyst Ohsung Kwon suggested that a dividend revival might be on the horizon. His team anticipates a 10% increase in overall dividends from the companies in the broader market in 2025, driven by investors’ growing preference for cash. Highlighting this trend, major tech firms began paying dividends for the first time this year. According to Janus Henderson, these tech giants accounted for roughly 25% of the total underlying dividend growth in the US during the third quarter.
Also read: 10 Best European Dividend Stocks To Buy
When it comes to dividend stocks, analysts consistently recommend prioritizing dividend growth over chasing high yields. Dan Lefkovitz, a strategist with Morningstar’s Index team, emphasized this approach, pointing out that dividend growth is a completely different ball game compared to high-dividend investing. He explained that dividend growth signals a company’s strong competitive position and improving prospects. A dividend-growth portfolio typically mirrors the market more closely in terms of sector exposure and growth-versus-value traits, including metrics like price-to-earnings ratios. While it maintains a value bias, it leans more toward the core market than a high-dividend portfolio.
Over the years, companies with a track record of steadily increasing their dividends have generally outperformed non-dividend-paying firms while experiencing lower volatility. Although dividends are not set in stone and can vary, as seen in the current climate, they have significantly contributed to overall equity returns over time. Between 1930 and 2023, dividends and their reinvestment made up 40% of the annualized total returns in the broader market, with the rest driven by capital gains.
Maintaining steady dividend growth is a demanding goal, as it necessitates exceptional financial stability. For businesses still in their growth phase with relatively lower stock prices, assessing the sustainability of their dividends becomes an essential and simple factor to analyze. This article explores some of the top dividend stocks currently priced under $50.
Our Methodology:
For this list, we used a Finviz stock screener to find dividend stocks trading below $50 as of the close of December 20. From the initial list, we narrowed down the selection to companies that pay regular dividends to shareholders and possess strong dividend policies, ensuring consistent future dividends. From the resultant list, we picked 10 stocks with the highest number of hedge fund investors, using Insider Monkey’s Q3 2024 database of 900 hedge funds and their holdings. These stocks are ranked in ascending order of hedge funds having stakes in them.
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).
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AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 59
Share Price as of the Close of December 20: $22.75
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) ranks third on our list of the best dividend stocks under $50. The American telecommunications company places a strong emphasis on investing in digital infrastructure, with a focus on its mid-band 5G network, which now serves over 210 million people. This dedication to cutting-edge technology strengthens its competitive edge and improves service reliability. In addition, the company has been tackling social challenges by striving to bridge the digital divide and providing affordable broadband options to underserved communities. The stock has surged by over 33% since the start of 2024.
In 2022, AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) shifted its focus by merging its WarnerMedia division with Discovery, moving away from media to concentrate on bolstering its telecom business. Under the leadership of CEO John Stankey, who took charge in 2020, the company has made significant strides in restructuring and reducing its long-term debt, setting the stage for long-term, sustainable growth.
In the third quarter of 2024, AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) reported revenue of $30.2 billion, marking a slight decline of 0.5% compared to the same period last year. Despite facing challenges like severe weather and a workforce stoppage in the Southeast, the company achieved its 19th consecutive quarter of adding over 200,000 new AT&T Fiber customers. It continues to grow its largest segment, Mobility and expects to lead the industry in postpaid phone churn for the 13th time in the past 15 quarters. The company remains focused on making strong industry investments, reducing debt, and increasing free cash flow year-to-date.
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) showcased a solid cash position in its latest quarterly earnings report. The company generated $10.2 billion in operating cash flow and $5.1 billion in free cash flow. It declared a quarterly dividend of $0.2775 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.84%, as of December 23.
Overall T ranks 3rd on our list of the best dividend stocks to buy under $5. While we acknowledge the potential of T as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than T but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock.
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
