12 Best Dividend Aristocrat Stocks to Invest in Right Now

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5. Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 88

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) holds conventional oil and gas interests in close to 20 countries, and its daily production is approximately 1.3 million net oil-equivalent barrels. However, upstream is not just about conventional for them either, having participated in unconventional, deepwater, heavy oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects. This portfolio grew considerably with the May 2024 acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources, which is anticipated to increase Permian output from 1.2 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2024 to around 2 million by 2027.

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) has also been making strides in improving its balance sheet. Its debt-to-capital ratio fell to 13% in Q2 2025, from 21.4% in Q4 2021 and 29.2% in Q4 2020. With its stronger financial position, the company is poised to keep up with its long tradition of growing dividends.

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) has an already well-covered dividend that has been raised for 42 consecutive years, making it one of the best dividend aristocrat stocks for dividend increases. The company pays a quarterly dividend of $0.99 and has a dividend yield of 3.36%, as of September 26.

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