We recently published a list of Dividend Stock Portfolio For Income: Top 10 Stocks to Buy. In this article, we are going to take a look at where QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) stands against other stocks to buy from dividend stock portfolio for income.

There is a common misconception that dividend stocks are primarily suited for those nearing retirement. However, this is not the case. Both experienced and retail investors have long favored dividend stocks, as they provide a steady stream of income. Unlike growth companies, dividend-paying firms distribute a portion of their profits to shareholders. While dividend investing may seem simple, successfully implementing this strategy requires thorough research and careful analysis.

Financial advisor Michael Dinich discussed dividend investing in an 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 highlighted that dividend stocks serve as a reliable income source, which can either be reinvested to compound returns or used as cash for various financial needs. This makes them particularly valuable for younger investors, offering both market exposure and a consistent income stream. His insights align with the broader impact of dividend income on market returns over extended periods. According to a report by S&P Dow Jones Indices, from 1926 to July 2023, dividends contributed 32% of the monthly total return of the broader market, with the remainder driven by capital appreciation.

READ ALSO: Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Buy According To Hedge Funds

A study by WisdomTree emphasized the strong income potential of dividend-paying stocks. The report suggested that focusing on dividends can significantly boost investors’ dividend earnings and improve the trailing 12-month dividend yield. This approach is especially beneficial during periods of low yields and market uncertainty. Investing in dividend-weighted indexes may provide a reliable strategy for generating income in such challenging conditions.

For the past two years, dividend stocks have underperformed the broader market, largely due to increased investments in the AI sector. However, analysts remain optimistic about dividend growth, particularly as more technology companies introduce dividend policies to attract investors. According to a report by S&P Global, total US dividends are expected to rise by 7% in 2025, reaching $784 billion. In recent years, and continuing into the current fiscal year, key contributions to dividend growth have come from sectors such as energy, pharmaceuticals, financial services, banking, and REITs. The report also highlighted that the media and entertainment sector experienced a significant surge in total dividend payouts in 2024, climbing by 140%, largely driven by the dividend policies of two major companies. This upward trend is expected to continue in 2025, with the sector projected to see an 18.6% increase in dividend growth, leading the market once again.

While regular dividends are projected to increase, variable dividends are set to decline by approximately 50%, with estimates placing the total for 2025 at $13.5 billion. Across all US sectors, variable dividends are expected to shrink, as persistent inflation and higher interest rates have limited the additional cash flow available for distribution.

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 around 2%, as of February 25, 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 10 stocks with the highest number of hedge fund investors, using Insider Monkey’s database of over 1,000 hedge funds and their holdings as of Q4 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 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).

QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 79

An American semiconductor company, QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) ranks fourth on our list of the best stocks for a dividend stock portfolio. In fiscal Q1 2025, the company reported revenue of $11.7 billion, which showed a 17.6% growth from the same period last year. For the third consecutive quarter, Qualcomm delivered double-digit revenue growth, achieving a new record for quarterly sales. Its chip division (QCT) saw a 20% increase in revenue, reaching $10.1 billion. Sales from handsets, including smartphones, rose 13% to $7.6 billion, while automotive revenue experienced a significant 61% jump to $961 million. Meanwhile, revenue from the Internet of Things (IoT) segment climbed 36% to $1.5 billion.

QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM)’s solid financial position and strong research and development capabilities indicate potential for expansion into emerging high-growth sectors, such as robotics chips. With automation gaining traction across industries like manufacturing, logistics, and services, the robotics market is expected to grow rapidly, creating opportunities for the company. The company’s cutting-edge semiconductor designs, including its custom “Oryon” cores featured in the Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon 8 Elite, provide enhanced performance and energy efficiency—crucial attributes for real-time decision-making in robotics applications.

QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM)’s cash position came in strong in the most recent quarter. It had over $3.1 billion available in cash and cash equivalents and its operating cash flow came in at nearly $4.6 billion. During the quarter, it also returned $942 million to shareholders through dividends. The company pays a quarterly dividend of $0.85 per share for a dividend yield of 2.11%, as recorded on February 25. It has been rewarding shareholders with growing dividends for the past 20 years.

Overall, QCOM ranks 4th on our list of stocks to buy from dividend stock portfolio for income. While we acknowledge the potential for QCOM 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 QCOM but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and Complete List of 59 AI Companies Under $2 Billion in Market Cap

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.