We recently compiled a list of the 13 Best Dividend Growth Stocks With 10%+ Yearly Increases. In this article, we are going to take a look at where UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) stands against the other dividend growth stocks.
Dividend stocks faced a tough year in 2024 as investor focus largely moved toward technology stocks. The Dividend Aristocrat Index, which tracks companies with a minimum of 25 consecutive years of dividend growth, gained just over 6% in 2024, falling well behind the broader market’s nearly 25% return. This lagging performance isn’t uncommon for dividend stocks, which often struggle to attract interest when more high-growth opportunities dominate the market. However, experienced investors may see the long-term value and stability that dividend stocks continue to offer.
Dividends have historically been a key component of total returns for US stocks, contributing nearly one-third of overall equity gains since 1926. Between 1980 and 2019, a period characterized by declining interest rates, dividends accounted for 75% of the broader market’s returns. In a low-rate environment, dividends become even more valuable by ensuring a steady income stream when fixed-income investments provide lower yields. Companies that introduce dividends rarely discontinue them and often increase payouts over time. In addition, offering a dividend can make a stock more attractive to investors, potentially driving up its market value.
Also read: 10 Best Energy Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now
A report by Franklin Templeton highlighted that over the past decade, dividends for the broader market index have consistently grown at an average annual rate of just over 7%. In strong market conditions, dividends have helped enhance total returns, while in difficult years—such as 2020 and 2022, when market returns were weak or negative—they played a crucial role in stabilizing returns and strengthening portfolio resilience.
Dividend-paying stocks offer more than just regular payouts—they often provide a defensive edge, making them valuable during periods when preserving wealth and maintaining steady income are priorities. A report by Eagle Asset Management examined instances where the broader market declined by at least 15% before recovering to its previous high. The study used three dividend-focused benchmarks to emphasize the importance of not only investing in dividend-yielding companies but also prioritizing those with a track record of consistently increasing payouts. The findings revealed that indexes composed of dividend-paying companies tend to outperform the broader market, particularly during prolonged downturns. This highlights the resilience and potential outperformance of dividend-focused investments during turbulent market conditions.
Dividends play a significant role in global equity markets, contributing approximately 34% of the MSCI World Index’s annual returns since February 1, 1970. Historically, holding shares in companies committed to dividend growth has provided several advantages, including strong absolute returns and superior risk-adjusted performance across full market cycles. These investments have also demonstrated lower volatility compared to the broader MSCI World Index, offering a level of capital preservation even in challenging market environments. In addition, they provide a diversified income stream with the potential for both steady income growth and capital appreciation.
Within the dividend space, companies that regularly raise their payouts are more favored among investors. Given this, we will take a look at some of the best dividend growth stocks with over 10% dividend growth rate.
Our Methodology
For this list, we used a Finviz stock screener and picked dividend companies with positive dividend growth rates in the past five years. From that group, we picked 13 stocks that have raised their dividends at an annual average rate of over 10% in the past five years and ranked them according to their dividend growth rates. We also considered hedge fund sentiment around each stock in Insider Monkey’s database, as of the third 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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UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH)
5-Year Average Annual Dividend Growth Rate: 14.59%
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) is a Minnesota-based health insurance company. It recently reported its fiscal year 2024 earnings, exceeding investor expectations with solid performance. The company generated $400 billion in revenue, reflecting an 8% increase from the previous year, driven by growth in its diverse services. Operating earnings for the year amounted to $32.3 billion, but after factoring in expenses related to responding to a cyberattack and challenges in South America, adjusted operating earnings were $34.4 billion.
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) posted strong cash flow results that met investor expectations. The company generated $24.2 billion in operating cash flow for the year, which was 1.6 times its net income. Throughout 2024, it returned over $16 billion to shareholders via dividends and share repurchases. In the fourth quarter, its return on equity reached 23.7%, demonstrating strong earnings and efficient capital management.
Thanks to its solid cash position, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) has built a strong dividend track record. The company began paying annual dividends in 1990 and switched to quarterly payouts in 2010, consistently increasing its dividend ever since, which makes UNH one of the best dividend stocks on our list. The company’s per-share quarterly dividend comes in at $2.10 per share for a dividend yield of 1.59%, as of February 8.
Overall UNH ranks 5th on our list of the best dividend stocks with dividend growth rates. While we acknowledge the potential for UNH 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 UNH 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.
