We recently published a list of Dividend Achievers List: Top 15. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) stands against other dividend achievers.
Dividend investing has become increasingly popular over time, as generating regular income remains a key focus for investors. Companies that consistently raise their dividends are particularly appealing, offering not just earnings but the potential for increasing income. Investors typically look for a minimum of 10 years of dividend growth, which is where “dividend achievers” come in. These are companies that have raised their dividends for at least 10 consecutive years.
Dividends play an important role in the overall returns. Over the past 25 years, nearly half of the total return from U.S. equities has come from reinvested dividends and the power of compounding. The broader market achieved an average annual total return of 7.4% during this period, with 55% coming from price gains and 45% from reinvested dividends, as reported by Bloomberg.
Dividend growth stocks have consistently delivered solid returns over time. The Dividend Aristocrats Index, which tracks companies that have increased their dividends for at least 25 consecutive years, has performed well historically. In a January 2019 blog post titled “Exploring Dividend Growth Strategies for Market Downturns,” Phillip Brzenk, S&P’s global head of multi-asset indexes, examined the performance of dividend growth strategies, particularly during market downturns. It was noted that the dividend aristocrats index outperformed the market in 53% of cases, with an average outperformance of 0.16%. In declining markets, the aristocrats outperformed over 70% of the time, with an average gain of 1.13%. However, in rising markets, they underperformed 56% of the time, though the average underperformance was smaller, at -0.34%. This suggests that the dividend aristocrats provided downside protection during months when the broader market experienced losses.
Dividend growers can also help protect against inflation. As rising prices erode investors’ wealth, companies that consistently increase their dividends offer a way to counteract this. While interest rates may seem appealing today, they might not hold the same value in the future. On the other hand, investing in companies with strong business models, assets, and strategies that support long-term dividend growth is often more attractive than opting for short-term, higher-yield investments. A report by Abrdn PLC also highlighted that, over the past 20 years, companies that began paying dividends or consistently increased them outperformed the global index. These dividend growers and initiators also outshined companies that paid dividends without increasing them, as well as those that didn’t pay dividends at all. In addition, the report noted that dividend-growing companies experienced lower volatility and delivered better risk-adjusted returns during this period.
That said, high-yield dividend stocks aren’t necessarily a poor choice. Analysts suggest seeking yields in the 3% to 6% range. According to Nuveen, stocks that pay dividends and also show steady dividend growth can be a sign of quality, as they demonstrate a company’s ability to balance dividend payouts while reinvesting capital to support future growth. With this, we will discuss the dividend achievers’ list.
Our Methodology:
For this list, we looked at a group of dividend achievers, which are known for raising dividends for 10 years or more. From this list, we chose companies with the highest dividend yields as of September 22 and arranged them in order from lowest to highest yield.
We also measured hedge fund sentiment around each stock according to Insider Monkey’s database of 912 funds as of Q2 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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Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ)
Dividend Yield as of September 22: 6.11%
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is a New York-based multinational telecommunications company that offers communications, technology, information, and entertainment services to its consumers. The stock is up over 14% since the start of 2024 as the company is intriguing new initiatives this year.
The company has been expanding its 5G network since its launch five years ago. With a robust spectrum portfolio and an extensive fiber optic network, it asserts that it provides the most reliable 5G service in the U.S., reaching over 200 million people. Recently, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) also announced plans to acquire fiber-optic internet provider Frontier Communications in a $20 billion all-cash deal, aiming to increase its subscriber base. This acquisition will also enhance its competitive position against rivals AT&T and T-Mobile, both of which are concentrating on unlimited plans and bundled services.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is one of the best dividend stocks on our dividend achievers list because of the company’s strong cash generation. In the first six months of the year, the company’s operating cash flow came in at $16.6 billion and its free cash flow amounted to $8.5 billion. This free cash flow grew from $8.5 billion in the same period last year.
Currently, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) offers a quarterly dividend of $0.6775 per share, having raised it by 1.9% in September this year. Through this increase, the company achieved its 18th consecutive year of dividend growth. The stock has a dividend yield of 6.11%, as of September 22.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) was a part of 67 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q2 2024, the same as in the previous quarter, according to Insider Monkey’s database. The stakes held by these hedge funds have a collective value of over $1.5 billion.
Overall, VZ ranks 2nd on our list of Dividend Achievers. While we acknowledge the potential of VZ 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 timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than VZ 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.