We recently published a list of Dividend Capture Strategy: 15 High Yield Stocks to Buy in April. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) stands against other best high yield stocks to buy in April.
Dividend investing appears to be a simple strategy on the surface, but in reality, it requires a much deeper analysis. These stocks are best known for their long-term appeal, a trait recognized by seasoned investors. Over the years, dividend growth stocks have outperformed other asset classes during periods of economic downturns.
This can also be observed in today’s economic landscape. With the Trump administration’s trade war or soft economic data, dividend stocks have the potential to outperform, according to analysts. In addition, these equities are currently trading at lower price-to-earnings ratios than the broader market, which could be a great entry point for income investors. Wolfe Research analyst Chris Senyek also advised investors to pay attention to dividend growth stocks as they can serve as a buffer against market downturns. Here is what he said:
“Our favorite defensive dividend strategy, dividend aristocrats, is a good place for investors to ‘hide’ in the event of an economic slowdown or recessionary environment.”
For this, he recommends investing in the Dividend Aristocrats Index, which tracks the performance of companies that have achieved 25 consecutive years of dividend growth. The index is outperforming the broader market this year, surging by over 2%, compared to the market’s nearly 5% decline.
Though dividend aristocrats are gaining this year, their performance in the last two years has been less impressive. With AI taking center stage, dividend stocks were overlooked by investors, leaving many still trading at a discount. Analysts are presenting a strong outlook for dividend stocks this year because of the changing economic and political landscape. According to a report by BNY Investments, dividend stocks are poised for growth this year as tech stocks have also entered into the dividend territory last year. Combining factors of growth and income can bode well for dividend equities. As of September 2024, nearly 80% of the companies in the S&P index pay dividends to shareholders, 24% of which are from the tech sector. The percentage has grown significantly from 13% a decade ago, as reported by BNY.
Dividend yield is an important aspect of dividend investing, and investors often pay attention to yields when making investment decisions. However, falling for yield traps does more harm than good. Dan Lefkovitz, a strategist for Morningstar Indexes, made the following comment for investors with a preference for high yields:
“It’s really critical to be selective when it comes to buying dividend-paying stocks and chasing yield. Looking for the most yield-rich areas of the market can often lead you into troubled areas and dividend traps—companies that have a nice-looking yield that is ultimately unsustainable. You have to screen for dividend durability and reliability going forward.”
While dividend stocks are mostly known for their long-term appeal, some investors also reap profits in the short term through a dividend capture strategy. By using this approach, investors can buy shares of the company just before it pays dividends and then sell those shares shortly after receiving the dividend. The main aim of this strategy is to capitalize on dividend income while also benefiting from a stock’s price increase leading up to the dividend announcement. Given this, we will take a look at some of the best dividend stocks for a dividend capture strategy.
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Our Methodology:
For this list, we selected dividend stocks that will trade ex-dividend in April 2025. Ex-dividend date indicates the cutoff day to buy a stock to receive its upcoming dividend payment. These stocks have dividend yields above 2%, as of March 30. The stocks are ranked according to their ex-dividend dates.
At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with hedge funds. 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).
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ)
Ex-Dividend Date: April 10
Dividend Yield as of March 30: 6.03%
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is a New York-based telecommunications company. In February, the company introduced AI connect, a suite of products and solutions designed to help businesses scale AI workloads efficiently. The company estimates that the total addressable market exceeds $40 billion and believes its expanding fiber infrastructure and programmable network are well-equipped to meet the secure connectivity demands of AI data centers. The stock is generating strong returns this year, surging by nearly 12% since the start of 2025.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) reported strong fourth-quarter results for 2024, with revenue reaching $35.7 billion, reflecting a 1.6% increase from the previous year. This growth was largely driven by higher customer acquisitions in both mobile wireless and internet services. In the mobile wireless segment, net postpaid phone subscriber additions rose to 568,000, up from 449,000 a year earlier. Revenue from this segment increased 3.1% year-over-year to $20 billion, marking its 18th consecutive quarter of growth.
In addition to its financial strength, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) remains a cash cow, appealing to investors because of its cash generation and dividend history. In FY24, the company generated $37 billion in operating cash flow, and its free cash flow came in at $19.8 billion. Its quarterly dividend comes in at $0.6775 per share for an attractive dividend yield of 6.03%, as of March 30. The company has been rewarding shareholders with growing dividends for the past 18 years. The stock will trade ex-dividend on April 10.
Overall, VZ ranks 9th on our list of the best the best high yield stocks for a dividend capture strategy. While we acknowledge the potential of VZ 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 time frame. If you are looking for a deeply undervalued dividend stock that is more promising than VZ but that trades at 10 times its earnings and grows its earnings at double digit rates annually, check out our report about the dirt cheap dividend stock.
READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
