10 Best Dividend Stocks to Buy According to Billionaire Michael Price

Published July 8, 2021 at 11:08 am EDT Updated August 19, 2026 at 5:07 am EDT

In this article we will take a look at the 10 best dividend stocks to buy according to billionaire Michael Price.

Michael Price is the founder and manager of MFP Investors, a hedge-fund based in New York with a portfolio value of over $834 million. The University of Oklahoma graduate started off as a research assistant at a mutual shares fund called Heine Securities, owned by Michael Heine. Price was eventually made partner in 1982 and after the death of Michael Heine in 1988, he bought the company. The company was sold to Franklin Securities in 1996 not before Price raised the firm’s asset value to an impressive $17 billion.

Known as a value investor, Price, 69, has earned a reputation for being an activist investor who primarily focuses on value stocks. With an estimated net worth of over $1.4 billion, Price’s investment strategy is especially useful for piggyback investors who are looking for stocks that are trading at discounted prices. The billionaire has a diverse investment approach which is represented by his hedge fund’s portfolio that includes companies from several industries including technology, consumer goods, healthcare, and financial services. The billionaire is also famous for being an activist who tries to influence company management decisions to unlock value.

MFP Investors is known for its long-term value-based investment approach that seeks out undervalued stocks at lower prices. The hedge fund has added several underperforming stocks to its portfolio in the first quarter of 2021. Over 345,200 shares of Brookfield Property Partners L.P. (NASDAQ: BPY), 405,000 shares of William Penn Bancorporation (NASDAQ: WMPN), and 281,996 shares of Amerant Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ: AMTB) amongst many others were bought by the company in the last quarter. On the other hand, some notable sales include Investors Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: ISBC) and Ruth’s Hospitality Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: RUTH).

The hedge fund also has some notable holdings in prominent tech companies such as BlackBerry Limited (NYSE: BB). MFP Investors owns 1,644,000 shares in the company with a total valuation of over $13.8 million taking a 1.66% share in the overall portfolio. Moreover, there has been a 9% increase in the BlackBerry Limited (NYSE: BB) activity as of Q1 of 2021.

Price’s hedge fund also owns 6,300 shares in Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) worth over $12.9 million making up 1.55% of their investment portfolio. The company has shown an extraordinary EPS growth rate of 21.7% which is projected to rise by 52.6% by the end of the current fiscal year. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) Q1 results for 2021 show a 34% year-over-year increase in total revenue from $41.1 billion in Q1 of 2020 to $55.3 billion by the end of this quarter. Moreover, the ongoing momentum in Google Cloud services make the stock a great pick for investors.

MFP Investors also has holdings in Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) with 3,500 shares valued at $10.8 million representing 1.29% of the firm’s portfolio. According to a report by JPMorgan, the company is on track to beat Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and become the largest retailer in the US. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) is one of the few companies that has greatly benefited from the COVID-19 pandemic as online shopping was widely adopted across the world. For the first quarter of 2021, the company reported a net income $8.1 billion or $15.79 per diluted share compared to $2.5 billion or $5.01 per diluted share in the same quarter of 2020.

10 Best Dividend Stocks to Buy According to Billionaire Michael Price

Michael Price of MFP Investors

At the end of Q1 of 2021, the hedge fund’s portfolio held shares in 137 companies with a total valuation of $834 million. The top holdings include Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) which has 15.65% of the equity portfolio, while S&W Seed Company (NASDAQ: SANW) had 7%, and Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG) had 4.13%. Companies like Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) give the hedge fund a value and income play. On the other hand, Price has also added a number of dividend stocks in a range of industries to diversify his holdings. Dividend investing requires a lot of research and a smart strategy which is why MFP Investors portfolio is worth looking at.

But investing is becoming difficult by the day, even for the smart money. The entire hedge fund industry is feeling the reverberations of the changing financial landscape. Its reputation has been tarnished in the last decade, during which its hedged returns couldn’t keep up with the unhedged returns of the market indices. On the other hand, Insider Monkey’s research was able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that outperformed the S&P 500 ETFs by more than 124 percentage points since March 2017. Between March 2017 and February 26th 2021 our monthly newsletter’s stock picks returned 197.2%, vs. 72.4% for the SPY. Our stock picks outperformed the market by more than 124 percentage points (see the details here). We were also able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that significantly underperformed the market. We have been tracking and sharing the list of these stocks since February 2017 and they lost 13% through November 16th. That’s why we believe hedge fund sentiment is an extremely useful indicator that investors should pay attention to. You can subscribe to our free newsletter on our homepage to receive our stories in your inbox.

Here is a list of the 10 best dividend stocks to buy according to billionaire Michael Price. We used Price’s Q1 holdings data for this analysis.

Best Dividend Stocks to Buy According to Billionaire Michael Price

10. Kearny Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: KRNY)

Price’s Stake Value: $2,267,000
Percent of Michael Price’s 13F Portfolio: 0.27%
Dividend Yield: 3.19%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 17

Kearny Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: KRNY) is Kearny Bank’s holding company involved in the provision of banking services in the US. The company recently released its Q1 earnings report for fiscal year 2021. Net income for the quarter was $16.4 million or $0.24 per diluted share which is a slight decrease from the previous quarter ended December 2020 when net income was $16.9 million or $0.20 per diluted share. The bank also reported a 6.8% increase in non-maturity deposits to $5.37 billion compared to $5.31 billion at the end of last year. The net interest margin increased to 2.83% reflecting a 19 basis point increase from the preceding quarter. Moreover, ROA was reported to be 0.89%.

On May 19^th, the New Jersey-based company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share, to be paid on June 26, 2021. With a dividend yield of 3.19%, Kearny Financial Corp. ranks number 10 in the list of the 10 best dividend stocks to buy according to billionaire Michael Price.

9. The First of Long Island Corporation (NASDAQ: FLIC)

Price’s Stake Value: $1,806,000
Percent of Michael Price’s 13F Portfolio: 0.21%
Dividend Yield: 3.42%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 8

The First of Long Island Corporation (NASDAQ: FLIC) is involved in the provision of financial services to consumers across the US. The company reported a net income of $11.3 million for Q1 of 2021 which is a 23.2% increase year-over-year. Moreover, net interest margin increased to 2.69% compared to 2.64% in the preceding quarter.

Michael Price’s hedge fund owns shares worth $1.8 million in The First of Long Island Corporation representing 0.21% of their portfolio. The First of Long Island Corporation announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.19 per share compared to $0.18 per share year-over-year. This represents an increase of 5.6%. With a dividend yield of 3.42%, The First of Long Island Corporation is one of the best performing dividend stocks to buy according to billionaire Michael Price.

Like Amazon.com, Inc., Brookfield Property Partners L.P., BlackBerry Limited, Alphabet Inc. and Intel Corporation, The First of Long Island Corporation is one of the best stocks in Michael Price’s Q1 portfolio.

8. Investors Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: ISBC)

Price’s Stake Value: $10,210,000
Percent of Michael Price’s 13F Portfolio: 1.22%
Dividend Yield: 3.81%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 12

Investors Bancorp, Inc. operates as Investors Bank’s holding company that is based in New Jersey. The company provides banking services across 156 branches in the US. For the first quarter of fiscal year 2021, the company reported a net income of $72.3 million or $0.31 per diluted share compared to $75.1 million or $0.32 per diluted share in the preceding quarter. Investors Bancorp, Inc. also announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.14 per share payable on May 25^th ,2021. Investors Bancorp, Inc. has a dividend yield of 3.81% compared to the industry’s average yield of 2.27%, making it one of the best dividend stocks to look out for.

Price’s hedge fund has acquired a total of 695,000 shares in Investors Bancorp, Inc. valued at over $10.2 million. With its strong financial performance and high dividend yield, Investors Bancorp, Inc. ranks 8^th in the 10 best dividend stocks to buy according to billionaire Michael Price list.

Like Amazon.com, Inc., Brookfield Property Partners L.P., BlackBerry Limited, Alphabet Inc. and Intel Corporation, Investors Bancorp, Inc. is one of the best stocks in Michael Price’s Q1 portfolio.

7. BCB Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: BCBP)

Price’s Stake Value: $14,087,000
Percent of Michael Price’s 13F Portfolio: 1.68%
Dividend Yield: 4.05%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 3

BCB Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: BCBP) is a New Jersey based holding company for the BCB Community Bank. The company is engaged in providing banking services and has 29 branches across the US. In Q1 of fiscal year 2021, the bank generated a net income of $7.1 million compared to $7.3 million in the preceding quarter. The EPS during the quarter was $0.40 compared to $0.12 in the same quarter of the previous year. BCB Bancorp, Inc. declared a dividend of $0.14 per share for the quarter which was paid on May 24, 2021. At a prevailing stock price of $13.84 per share, the current dividend yield equals 4.05% making it one of the best dividend stocks to buy according to billionaire Michael Price.

Michael Price’s holding company owns 1,020,808 shares in BCBP with a total valuation of approximately $14.08 million, making up 1.68% of the portfolio.

Like Amazon.com, Inc., Brookfield Property Partners L.P., BlackBerry Limited, Alphabet Inc. and Intel Corporation, BCB Bancorp, Inc. is one of the best stocks in Michael Price’s Q1 portfolio.

6. Waterstone Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: WSBF)

Price’s Stake Value: $11,727,000
Percent of Michael Price’s 13F Portfolio: 1.4%
Dividend Yield: 3.99%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 10

WaterStone Bank SSB’s holding company, Waterstone Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: WSBF), is based in southern Wisconsin and is involved in providing financial services within the country. Waterstone Financial, Inc. in its first quarter earnings report for 2021 declared a net income of $21.3 million, compared to $6.1 million in the same quarter of the previous year. The diluted EPS amounted to $0.89 per share, representing a 16.7% year-over-year increase from $0.24 per share in 2020. Moreover, the consolidated ROA was reported to be 3.99% for the quarter compared to 1.21% in the first quarter of 2020. While the consolidates ROE equaled 20.49%.

Waterstone Financial, Inc. paid a quarterly dividend of $0.20 per share to all common stockholders of record. The company’s board also declared a special dividend on May 28, 2021 of $0.50 per share due to the strong financial performance of the company during the first quarter of 2021. Waterstone Financial, Inc.’s strong payout ratio and dividend yield has earned it the number 6 spot in the 10 best dividend stocks to buy according to billionaire Michael Price list.

Like Amazon.com, Inc., Brookfield Property Partners L.P., BlackBerry Limited, Alphabet Inc. and Intel Corporation, Waterstone Financial, Inc. is one of the best stocks in Michael Price’s Q1 portfolio.

5. Dow Inc. (NYSE: DOW)

Price’s Stake Value: $1,292,000
Percent of Michael Price’s 13F Portfolio: 0.15%
Dividend Yield: 4.12%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 41

Dow Inc. (NYSE: DOW) manufactures basic material solutions for different industries across the world. It has operations in the US, Canada, Europe, Africa, Middle East, India, and Latin America. This Michigan-based company reported a net income of $1.0 billion in Q1 of 2021. Moreover, net sales for the company rose by 11% to $11.9 billion representing a 22% year-over-year increase with all segments of the company performing exceedingly well. The EPS amounted to $1.32 compared to $0.59 per share in the same period of the previous year.

The company’s strong financial performance is reflected in its share prices which have gained over 23% in the past 6 months. Dow Inc. announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.70 per share which was paid on June 11, 2021. With a dividend yield of 4.12%, DOW ranks fifth in the list of the 10 best dividend stocks to buy according to billionaire Michael Price.

4. Vornado Realty Trust (NYSE: VNO)

Price’s Stake Value: $4,984,000
Percent of Michael Price’s 13F Portfolio: 0.59%
Dividend Yield: 4.22%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 25

Vornado Realty Trust (NYSE: VNO) is a New York-based real estate company that owns and manages retail and office assets located in New York City, San Francisco, and Chicago. The company has established itself as an industry leader with its collection of premier assets across the country. Vornado Realty Trust’s earnings in Q1 of 2021 reflected a strong financial position for the company. Net quarterly income was reported to be $4.08 million or $0.02 per share compared to $4.96 million or $0.03 per share in the preceding quarter.

The company has ranked as a top dividend stock due to its high dividend yield of 4.22%. For the quarter ended March 31, 2021, Vornado Realty Trust paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.53 per share on May 21^st. Furthermore, the company’s board has also declared dividends for preferred stocks with the Series A convertible earning $0.8125 per share, payable on July 1, 2021. Vornado Realty Trust ranks fifth in the list of the 10 best dividend stocks to buy according to billionaire Michael Price.

This real estate investment trust was mentioned in Third Avenue Management’s investor letter for Q3 2020. Here is what they had to say:

“Third Avenue has long championed enterprises with sound business practices run by aligned control groups that exhibit strong stewardship. Within Third Avenue’s real estate strategy, this oftentimes leads the Fund to “pass” on investments in companies with uncertain environmental liabilities, business models that could be deemed predatory, and corporate governance structures that are stacked against key stakeholders. Consequently, the select-set of real estate and real estate-related business that make it into the Third Avenue Real Estate Value Fund represent some of the true industry leaders in respect to their ESG practices, including Vornado Realty Trust (a New York City-centric owner of office properties) that has more than 26 million square feet of LEED-certified properties (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and is a 10-time recipient of NAREIT’s ‘Leader in the Light Award.”

3. Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (NASDAQ: PAA)

Price’s Stake Value: $3,809,000
Percent of Michael Price’s 13F Portfolio: 0.45%
Dividend Yield: 5.96%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 7

Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. (NASDAQ: PAA) is an oil and gas company based in Houston, Texas. It is involved in the transportation and storage of natural gas liquids and crude oil with operations in US and Canada. The company reported revenues of $8.38 billion in its earnings report for Q1 2021, which beat estimates by $1.34 billion. The EPS was reported to be $0.25 while the adjusted EBITDA amounted to $546 million representing a decrease of 31%, year-over-year.

Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. has signed an agreement with Hartree Partners, LP to sell its Southern and Pine Prairie storage facilities. The agreement is valued at $850 million. The company also announced a quarterly dividend of $0.18 per common share. At a stock price of $12.09, the dividend yield for the company amounts to 5.96% making it one of the 10 best dividend stocks to buy according to billionaire Michael Price. Price’s hedge fund has ownership of around 418,518 shares of PAA worth over $3.8 million as of Q1 2021.

2. One Liberty Properties, Inc. (NYSE: OLP)

Price’s Stake Value: $6,146,000
Percent of Michael Price’s 13F Portfolio: 0.73%
Dividend Yield: 6.15%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 8

One Liberty Properties, Inc. (NYSE: OLP) is a REIT involved in the management of properties across the US. Based in Maryland, the company owns a diversified portfolio of premium properties. One Liberty Properties, Inc. reported a net income of $3.0 million for Q1 of 2021 which is a decrease of $4.8 million year-over-year. However, the rental income amounted to $20.7 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 compared to $21.2 million for the same quarter of the previous year.

On June 10, 2021, a cash dividend of $0.45 was announced for the quarter which is payable on June 25, 2021. This will be the 114^th consecutive quarterly dividend that the company will pay to its shareholders. With a dividend yield of 6.15%, OLP is one of the 10 best dividend stocks to buy according to billionaire Michael Price.

1.Brookfield Property Partners L.P. (NASDAQ: BPY)

Price’s Stake Value: $6,141,000
Percent of Michael Price’s 13F Portfolio: 0.73%
Dividend Yield: 7.15%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 17

Brookfield Property Partners L.P. is a renowned real estate company with presence in over 30 countries worldwide. The company is involved in asset management, operational expertise, and capital management services to real estate investors. Brookfield Property Partners L.P. reported a net income of $731 million for Q1 of 2021 as compared to a loss of $373 million in Q1 of 2020. This increase in income can be attributed to the gains in LP investments which amounted to $188 million for the quarter.

The company’s board announced a cash dividend on preferred stock equal to $0.406 per unit which is to be paid on June 30, 2021. Billionaire Michael Price’s hedge fund owns 345,200 shares in Brookfield Property Partners L.P. valued at over $6.14 million. With a high dividend yield of 7.15%, the company has earned the top spot in the list of the 10 best dividend stocks to buy according to billionaire Michael Price.

Horos Asset Management mentioned Brookfield Property Partners L.P. in its Q1 2021 investor letter. This is what the firm stated:

“There have been significant portfolio changes this quarter in the real estate sector, with several new stakes, discussed below, and one corporate transaction. In particular, here we provide an update on the status of our investment in Brookfield Property Partners (“BPY”). In our latest quarterly letter, we noted that on January 4 the company received a takeover bid from Brookfield Asset Management (“BAM”) for the remaining shares it does not control, at a price of 16.5 dollars per share, which seemed too low to us. Hence, our intention was to decline the takeover bid and hold our shares, awaiting a potential increase in the offer price that BAM had in fact historically made in other similar acquisitions. Finally, on April 1, BAM announced it had increased its offer by 10% to 18.17 dollars per share. In this case, shareholders will have a choice of cash, BAM common stock or BPY preferred stock, limited to a maximum of 50% cash for the total offer, 42% for BAM common stock and 8% for BPY preferred stock. The offer price represents a discount to BPY’s NAV of 32%, very much in line with the historical average at which this vehicle has historically traded.”

You can also take a peek at 10 Best Dividend Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaire Kerr Neilson and 10 Best Tech and Dividend Stocks to Buy According to Billionaire Chase Coleman.

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