We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Dividend Growth Stocks to Buy and Hold Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Nordson Corporation (NYSE:NDSN) stands against the other dividend growth stocks.
The AI sector maintained its momentum unabated in the second quarter of 2024, with tech stocks continuing to lead the charge. Despite the Fed scaling back rate cut expectations from three to one at the quarter’s outset, stocks surged to end in positive territory by quarter-end. This was buoyed by better-than-expected inflation numbers and strong first-quarter earnings. The broader market gained 3.48% in Q2 2024 and its 12-month returns came in at over 23.4%. Dividend stocks underperformed the broader market recently, but with tech giants now beginning to issue dividends, analysts are optimistic about dividend prospects this year. The recent addition of Alphabet to the dividend-paying group suggests that these mega-cap tech companies could increase their dividends gradually over time. However, analysts caution that current dividend yields from these stocks remain relatively modest.
In the current market environment, investors are keenly exploring opportunities to boost their income. Despite their low performance so far this year, dividends gain importance in this regard as they have historically been crucial in generating returns for investors over many decades. Since 1960, approximately 85% of the total cumulative return of the S&P 500 Index can be traced back to reinvested dividends and the compounding effect they offer.
When we talk about the compounding effects of dividends, we refer to the advantages they provide, particularly when they grow consistently over time. This growth allows for larger dividend payouts which, when reinvested, can further accelerate the overall investment return through compounding. In addition to providing compounding effects, companies that raise their dividends have also historically outperformed the market and those companies that cut or don’t pay dividends at all. According to data by Ned Davis Research and Hartford Funds, dividend growers and initiators have delivered a 9.62% return to shareholders from 1972 to 2018, compared with an 8.78% return of dividend payers. Dividend growers also outperformed dividend non-payers, who returned only 2.40% during this period. Read more about dividend growers in our article, Best Dividend Kings to Buy for Safe Dividend Growth.
A company’s past track record of growing dividends is often the best crystal ball for predicting future growth. A low payout ratio, which measures dividends against earnings, also signals potential for future dividend growth. High dividend yields can falter in tough times, precisely when investors rely on them most. Companies with a history of dividend growth demonstrate their resilience, continuing to increase dividends even in downturns. Currently, there is rising demand for companies that distribute dividends, driven by an aging US population, seeking additional sources of immediate income. According to a report by Janus Henderson, global dividends reached $1.66 trillion in 2023, growing from $1.23 trillion in 2020. The banking sector achieved record-high dividends last year, accounting for half of the global dividend growth. This increase was largely facilitated by a higher interest rate environment, which allowed many banks to expand their profit margins. The firm expects global dividends to reach their all-time high of $1.72 trillion in 2024, which would show a 3.9% growth from 2023 on a headline basis.
Companies that consistently raise their dividends have strong business models and solid balance sheets. In this article, we will take a look at some of the best dividend aristocrat stocks for dividend growth.
Our Methodology:
For this article, we scanned the list of Dividend Aristocrats, which are the companies that have raised their payouts for 25 consecutive years or more. From that list, we picked 10 companies with the highest 5-year annual average dividend growth rates. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of their annual average dividend growth in the past five years. We also considered hedge fund sentiment around each stock in Insider Monkey’s database, as of the first quarter of 2024. 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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Nordson Corporation (NYSE:NDSN)
5-Year Annual Dividend Growth Rate: 14.2%
Nordson Corporation (NYSE:NDSN) is an American multinational manufacturing company that designs and produces dispensing equipment used for applying adhesives, sealants, coatings, and other materials. The company’s business model allows it to significantly benefit from acquisitions and partnerships. In fact, in fiscal Q2 2024, the company’s sales saw a positive acquisition impact of 5%. In May, the company announced its acquisition of Atrion for $460 per share in cash, totaling approximately $800 million. This acquisition aims to broaden Nordson Corporation’s (NYSE:NDSN) medical portfolio by entering new markets and therapies.
S&P Global Ratings noted that Nordson Corporation’s (NYSE:NDSN) acquisition of Atrion will slightly increase its adjusted debt leverage, but it will remain around the mid-2x level, which is within the acceptable range for its current rating. The firm believes that the company can use its free cash flow and synergy opportunities to keep leverage in the 2x-3x range over the next 12-24 months. Despite recent demand challenges, the company’s manageable leverage and strong EBITDA margins support its ratings. The firm believes that the company will continue using its free cash flow and incremental debt to finance acquisitions, thereby enhancing its organic growth.
In fiscal Q2 2024, Nordson Corporation (NYSE:NDSN) reported revenue of $651 million, which showed a slight 0.08% growth from the same period last year. Year-to-date its operating cash flow came in at $295 million, up from $288 million in the prior-year period. During the quarter, the company returned over $77.7 million to shareholders through dividends.
Nordson Corporation (NYSE:NDSN), one of the best dividend aristocrat stocks on our list, currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.68 per share. The company holds a 60-year streak of consistent dividend growth and its five-year annual average dividend growth rate comes in at 14.2%. As of July 2, the stock has a dividend yield of 1.20%.
At the end of March 2024, 23 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey reported having stakes in Nordson Corporation (NYSE:NDSN), up from 19 in the preceding quarter. The total value of these stakes is more than $76.3 million.
Overall NDSN ranks 2nd on our list of the best dividend growth stocks to buy and hold. You can visit 10 Best Dividend Growth Stocks to Buy and Hold Now to see the other dividend growth stocks that are on hedge funds’ radar. While we acknowledge the potential of NDSN as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some deeply undervalued dividend stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for a deeply undervalued dividend stock that is more promising than NDSN but that trades at less than 7 times its earnings and yields nearly 10%, check out our report about the dirt cheap dividend stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.