We recently compiled a list of the 12 Best International Dividend Stocks To Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) stands against the other international dividend stocks.
Dividend stocks have been grabbing investors’ attention for a while now. According to JP Morgan, over the last two decades, global dividends per share have increased at an annual rate of 5.6%, but analysts expect this to rise to 7.6% in the future, driven by historically low payout ratios. During the 2020 pandemic, many companies cut dividends, but as earnings have recovered, especially in Big Tech and AI, dividends have not kept up. With payout ratios at 25-year lows, simply returning to normal could add 2% annual growth over the next five years.
After slowing down post-COVID, global dividend growth made a surprising comeback last year, increasing 8% and adding an extra $180 billion in payouts despite ongoing economic and geopolitical challenges. According to S&P Global, this was largely driven by record dividend initiations in US tech, European banks, Japan’s auto industry, and solid growth from China. Even oil and gas companies held strong despite market volatility. Looking ahead, experts predict global dividends will hold steady at $2.3 trillion in 2025.
Regionally, developed Asia, which includes Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, South Korea, and Singapore, is looking at a 3% rise in dividends this year. Europe, on the other hand, is expected to see a 3.4% decline. In emerging markets, the trends are mixed. Asia, led by China, India, and Taiwan, is on track for a 5% increase, while dividends in the Middle East and Africa could drop by 20%, mainly because Saudi Aramco’s special dividend program ended. Latin America is also expected to see a small dip of around 4%.
When it comes to sectors, banks and energy companies remain the biggest dividend payers. Banks are expected to distribute around $380 billion globally, but after four years of rapid 20% growth, they are now down to just 2%. Banks are playing it safe, waiting to see how interest rates move. Given this, we will take a look at some of the best international dividend stocks.
Our Methodology
For this article, we used the BlackRock International Dividend ETF to filter out dividend stocks listed on US exchanges but headquartered internationally. We focused on picking stocks that were most popular among hedge funds. The list below is ranked in the ascending order of Q3 2024 hedge fund sentiment, and dividend yields are mentioned as of February 11.
At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with 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)
A gas refinery lit up against the night sky, showing the scale of the company’s petrochemical operations.
Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL)
Dividend Yield as of February 11: 4.25%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 48
Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL), a London-based energy titan, is one of the best dividend stocks for an income portfolio. On January 24, 2025, Shell Energy North America announced that it concluded its acquisition of RISEC Holdings, adding a 609 MW gas power plant in Rhode Island to its portfolio. This deal helps secure long-term energy supply in the ISO New England market, especially as demand is expected to rise with the push for decarbonization.
Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) delivered strong financial results in 2024, despite lower earnings in the fourth quarter. Free cash flow reached $40 billion, surpassing 2023 levels even in a weaker price environment. To reward shareholders, Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) announced a 4% dividend increase and a $3.5 billion share buyback program. This marked the 13th straight quarter of at least $3 billion in buybacks.
On January 30, Shell declared a $0.716 per ADS quarterly dividend, up from a prior dividend of $0.688. The dividend is payable on March 24, to shareholders on record as of February 14.
Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) is a popular energy play among Wall Street funds. In Q3 2024, 48 hedge funds were bullish on Shell, compared to 49 in the last quarter.
Overall SHEL ranks 5th on our list of the best international dividend stocks to buy. While we acknowledge the potential of SHEL as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that certain 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 SHEL but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.