We recently published an article titled Why These 10 Dividend Stocks Are Declining? In this article, we are going to take a look at where The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE:SMG) stands against the other dividend stocks.
In this article, we will examine 10 companies with high dividend yields and explore the reasons behind declining stock prices.
Companies that pay dividends have been a reliable choice for investors seeking a passive and somewhat stable income. All the stocks in our list today have offered attractive yields, thus satisfying the expectations of these investors. But we have noticed them struggling in recent months.
Broader market conditions, like a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imported into the US, have led to market volatility. Though the broader market remained unchanged, the Nasdaq composite faced a decline during the past few weeks. These changes are reflected in the price of many high dividend-paying stocks. Some companies are additionally experiencing company-specific challenges. The strategic transition of British Petroleum from oil and gas assets to green energy and divestment, for instance, has led to its underperformance. Comparatively, competitors who were focused on fossil fuels gained preference, owing to the analysts questioning the future dividend sustainability of BP. The shifting investor sentiment also has contributed to the downturn of some of the stocks in our list.
We find it difficult to point out any single sector as a worst-performing sector. The recent macroeconomic trends, inclusive of the inflationary pressures as well as the interest rate adjustments, cause ripples across multiple sectors in the US economy. Some companies have maintained stable payouts proportionately to an increase in their share value. Others face declining share prices because of weaker earnings and reduced interests among the hedge fund holders.
Dividend Aristocrats have historically provided stability and consistent income. They have been a popular choice among long-term investors. In the past few months, however, the stock prices of these companies have declined despite maintaining high dividend yields. The upward interest rates and inflation rates recently pressured some high-yield companies, making it hard for them to sustain dividend increases without debts. Thus, high yields may seem appealing, but it falls in the hands of the investors to assess the ability of these companies to maintain their payouts without jeopardizing financial health.
Our Methodology:
The article includes 10 high-yield dividend stocks experiencing a decline in their prices in the last 1 month. Each company on the list was added after ensuring that they have a market capitalization of over $1 billion and a minimum dividend yield of 2.5%. The article assessed financial sustainability using historical stock performance, dividend payout ratios, and earnings reports. For this list, we scanned Insider Monkey’s database of 900+ hedge funds as of the third quarter of 2024. The final list is ranked according to their dividend yields, as of February 11.
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 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points. (see more details here).
A farmer standing in a lush field of vegetables that has been enhanced by the company’s hydroponic products.
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE:SMG)
Annual dividend yield: 3.98%
Ex-Dividend Date: February 21, 2025
Number of Hedge Funds: 28 (2024 Q3)
Quarterly dividend amount: $0.06
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE:SMG) declined by over 5% in the last few trading days following its decision to separate its hydroponics subsidiary, Hawthorne Gardening Company, due to issues with federal legalization. Chief Executive James Hagedorn made the following comment about that:
“We believe that moving Hawthorne out of Scotts Miracle-Gro is better for everyone. For our shareholders, this would eliminate the volatility of the cannabis sector and generate a significant uplift in gross margin.”
James Hagedorn believes that separating from the cannabis business would increase the P/E ratio of the stock, clearly establishing what the company’s equity represents. However, the investors share a mixed reaction to this decision, as some felt that there could be potential risks and uncertainties associated with the separation. In contrast, others see this as a strategic decision that would enhance the valuation of The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE:SMG).
Overall SMG ranks 7th on our list of the dividend stocks that are declining recently. While we acknowledge the potential for SMG 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 SMG but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stock 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.
