In this article, we will take a look at some of the best dividend stocks from the banking sector.
The year 2024 was significant for major US banks. A recent Financial Times report highlighted that the country’s seven largest banks accounted for 56% of the industry’s profits in the first nine months of the year, up from 48% in the same period of 2023. The banking sector has also strengthened its capital position. In November, the Federal Reserve Board reported that 99% of US banks maintained capital levels above regulatory requirements. In addition, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) observed a 3.5% rise in equity capital during the third quarter of 2024, reinforcing the sector’s improving capitalization.
Bank stocks surged after President-elect Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election. The rally was swift and broad-based, driven by market expectations of a more lenient regulatory environment starting in 2025, particularly regarding mergers and acquisitions. In November, the median total return for the 211 banks analyzed by S&P Global Market Intelligence reached 13.4%, significantly outperforming the broader market’s 5.9% return.
Also read: 14 Best Large Cap Dividend Growth Stocks To Buy Now
Another factor influencing the bank’s performance was the Federal Reserve’s release of parameters for its annual industry stress test, which outlined milder hypothetical economic shocks compared to previous years. Although the test remains challenging—projecting US unemployment rising to 10% and home prices dropping by 33%—the 2025 scenario includes smaller increases in joblessness and less severe declines in stock and real estate values than in recent years. Barclays analyst Jason Goldberg highlighted these adjustments in a report titled “2025 Stress Test: Scenarios Easier than Past Two Years.” Bank of America analyst Ebrahim Poonawala noted that with the latest version of the test being less stringent and more predictable, banks may not need to maintain as large of a capital buffer later this year. Here are some other comments from the analyst:
“The 2025 stress test scenario, broadly better vs last year, increases our confidence that banks should begin to see the relief on regulatory capital requirements, given our expectations for a shift to a balanced, transparent, and more predictable regulatory regime.”
In December, Moody’s upgraded its industry outlook from negative to stable for the first time since 2023, pointing to interest rate cuts and monetary policy adjustments by G-20 nations. The Federal Reserve implemented three rate cuts last year, bringing its target interest rate down to a range of 4.25% to 4.5%. Wall Street remains optimistic about the sector, with Barclays analyst Jason Goldberg predicting that major bank stocks will continue to rise, driven by expectations of a pro-growth, deregulation-focused agenda under the new administration. However, he acknowledged that corporate borrowing has remained subdued as businesses evaluate the post-election environment.
Investor interest in bank stocks is growing, largely due to their attractive dividend payouts. A report from Janus Henderson revealed that banks were responsible for one-fifth of all dividends distributed in the third quarter, reflecting a 6.6% increase on an underlying basis—outpacing the average across all sectors. Given their significant market presence, banks contributed the most to dividend growth in Q3, slightly surpassing the media sector. The latter saw a substantial 166% surge in payouts, driven by the resumption of dividend payments from major tech companies. The report further highlighted that bank stocks paid $38.2 billion in dividends during the third quarter of 2024. Given this, we will take a look at some of the best dividend stocks from the banking sector.
A series of ATMs in a row, symbolizing the company’s 24/7 banking services.
Our Methodology:
For this list, we picked the top 10 bank dividend stocks based on their popularity among elite hedge funds in the third quarter of 2024. We gauged hedge fund sentiment for these stocks using Insider Monkey’s database of 900 hedge funds, as of Q3 2023.
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).
10. Truist Financial Corporation (NYSE:TFC)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 45
Truist Financial Corporation (NYSE:TFC) is an American bank holding company that offers services in commercial banking, savings accounts, mortgages, credit cards, and more. The company has effectively utilized its digital platform, reporting a 7% year-over-year growth in mobile users. In addition, the company successfully opened 730,000 new digital loan and deposit accounts in 2024. Its investment banking division has been the top performer, seeing a 46% increase in trading revenue. During its most recent earnings call, the CFO projected a slight rise in net interest margin, along with modest growth in its loan and deposit portfolio. Truist is well-capitalized, maintaining a CET1 ratio of 11.5%, with plans to reach around 10% in the near term. The company is also focusing on boosting fee-based revenue to mitigate potential challenges from adverse interest rate movements.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, Truist Financial Corporation (NYSE:TFC) reported revenue of $5.11 billion, which showed a 5% growth from the same period last year. The company’s net income for the quarter came in at $1.28 billion. It saw a $6.5 billion, or 1.4%, increase in average earning assets, largely driven by a $7.7 billion, or 6.6%, rise in average securities. Average deposits grew by $5.7 billion, or 1.5%, while average short-term borrowings increased by $4.2 billion, or 20%. In contrast, average long-term debt decreased by $1.2 billion, or 3.4%.
Truist Financial Corporation (NYSE:TFC) is a solid dividend payer because of its commitment to returning value to shareholders. For the full year 2024, the company returned $3.8 billion in capital to common shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. This included the repurchase of $500 million in common shares, leading to a dividend payout ratio of 57% and a total payout ratio of 98%. The company currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.52 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.5%, as of February 13. TFC is one of the best dividend stocks on our list as the company has been making regular dividend payments to shareholders since 1997.
9. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 45
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK) is an American financial services company, headquartered in New York. The bank was established in 2007 through the merger of the Bank of New York and Mellon Financial Corporation and became the largest custodian bank globally. The company reported strong earnings in the fourth quarter of 2024, with revenues amounting to $4.8 billion, which showed an 11% growth from the same period last year. In FY24, it posted a net income of $4.3 billion, which surged by a whopping 43% from 2023.
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK) introduced a new commercial coverage model, developed innovative products and solutions for clients, and completed a brand refresh. It also announced and finalized its first acquisition in several years and began the gradual transition to its strategic platforms operating model. In addition, the company continued to focus on enhancing its culture and attracted top talent to strengthen its team further. In the past 12 months, the stock has outperformed the market, surging by over 59%.
On January 15, The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK) declared a quarterly dividend of $0.47 per share, which was in line with its previous dividend. The stock has a dividend yield of 2.19%, as of February 13. In the most recent quarter, the company paid $349 million to shareholders through dividends, demonstrating its practice of returning value to investors. In addition, BK has raised its payouts for 14 consecutive years, which makes it one of the best bank dividend stocks.
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