We recently compiled a list of the 10 Dividend Knights that Beat The Market Last 3 Years. In this article, we are going to take a look at where W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW) stands against the other dividend stocks that beat the market in the last 3 years.
The broader market has been performing strongly this year, rising by nearly 30% since the beginning of 2024. According to Morningstar Direct, the S&P 500’s return has exceeded this level in only 17 of the past 74 years. For instance, in 1954, the index saw a gain of over 52%, and in 1989, it increased by about 31%. However, analysts caution investors to manage their expectations, as years with such exceptional returns are uncommon. Cathy Curtis, a certified financial planner and the founder and CEO of Curtis Financial Planning made the following comment about the market’s performance this year in one of her recent interviews with CNBC:
“Investors should know that the stock market has an average annualized return of over 10% for decades. The past year has seen growth way over this amount and it would be highly unusual for that to continue for a multi-year timeframe.”
Regardless of where the market ends up, dividend stocks have strong potential, as demonstrated over the years. During past periods of inflation, dividend stocks performed better compared to other asset classes. Since the 1940s, dividends have accounted for 40% of the market, with this share increasing during times of higher inflation, according to Hartford Funds. The report also highlighted the performance of dividend stocks in the 1970s, when they made up 73% of the market’s returns. Additional studies, including one from Fidelity International, showed that dividends typically grow faster than inflation. Fidelity’s research indicated that since 1900, the 10-year annual average growth of dividends in the market has outpaced CPI growth nearly 73% of the time.
In addition to their considerable impact on overall market returns, dividend stocks provide investors with a way to mitigate risks linked to market volatility. According to DWS Group, over the past 20 years, the monthly volatility of dividend returns was just 0.10%, compared to 3.75% for price returns. The report also noted that despite market fluctuations, investors have seen positive overall returns during this period. While riskier factors played a significant role in these returns, it was the dividend stream that proved to be a more stable and safer option amid the uncertainties of the stock market.
Also read: 10 Best Consistent Dividend Stocks To Invest In Right Now
Although dividend stocks have recently lagged behind the broader market, they remain a popular investment choice due to their strong long-term returns. The Dividend Aristocrats Index has grown by just nearly 11% this year, but the outlook for dividend growth among US companies is promising. According to Howard Silverblatt, Senior Index Analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices, large-cap stocks outperformed many others in the first three quarters of 2024, driven by record earnings and an anticipated record dividend payout for the year. He further added that the market’s large caps are expected to see a 6% increase in dividend payments for 2024, compared with 5.1% in 2023 and 10.8% in 2022.
When it comes to dividend investing, investors often prefer companies with a strong track record of dividend growth and solid returns as they help prepare for challenging market conditions. Additionally, investors focus on a company’s ability to generate cash flow and maintain a strong balance sheet, as these factors support the sustainability of future dividend payouts. In view of this, we will take a look at some of the best dividend knights that have outperformed the market in the last three years.
Our Methodology:
For this list, we used a stock screener and selected dividend companies that have outperformed the market in the past three years. These companies also have strong dividend growth track records under their belt. We also considered hedge fund sentiment around each stock using Insider Monkey’s data for Q3 2024. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of their three-year returns.
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).
A portrait of an industrial worker wearing safety equipment, smiling while inspecting a piece of equipment.
W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW)
3-Year Share Price Gains as of December 4: 142.4%
W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW) ranks eighth on our list of the best dividend knights. The Illinois-based company provides a wide range of tools, equipment, and supplies to businesses, government entities, and institutions across various industries. It generates revenue through two primary segments: High-Touch Solutions (HTS) and Endless Assortment. The HTS segment serves as the company’s primary revenue driver. Known for its solid fundamentals, the company boasts an impressive shareholder rewards program and a reliable business model that has consistently delivered returns surpassing market averages over time. In the past three years, the stock has surged by over $142%, surpassing the broader market.
W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW) generated $4.4 billion in revenues in the third quarter of 2024, up 4.28% from the same period last year. The company’s operating margin came in at 15.6%. Its gross profit also showed a 4% growth on a YoY basis at $1.72 billion. ClearBridge Investments highlighted the company in its Q1 2024 investor letter. Here is what the firm has to say:
“W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW), in the industrials sector, was our largest new buy. Grainger is the biggest industrial maintenance, repair, and operations distributor in North America. The company is a share gainer in a large and fragmented market, with less than 10% share of the addressable market for their direct, “high touch solutions” business estimated at more than $165 billion. Grainger has also barely scratched the surface with its online “endless assortment” platform, Zoro.com, which targets an even larger market. In addition to its growth and profit potential, we are attracted to Grainger’s strong balance sheet and improved capital allocation under its current management.”
W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW) has a strong balance sheet, supported by a healthy cash reserve. In the most recent quarter, the company generated $611 million in operating cash flow and also returned $328 million to shareholders in dividends and share repurchases. It has been rewarding shareholders with growing dividends for the past 53 years. Currently, the company pays a quarterly dividend of $2.05 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.69%, as of December 5.
Insider Monkey’s database of Q3 2024 indicated that 34 hedge funds owned stakes in W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW), up from 32 in the previous quarter. The consolidated value of these stakes is $614.7 million. Citadel Investment Group was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q3 among these hedge funds.
Overall GWW ranks 8th on our list of the best dividend knights that beat the market in the last 3 years. While we acknowledge the potential for GWW 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 GWW 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.