12 Best Dividend Stocks with High Upside Potential

Published on April 16, 2024 at 3:02 am by Vardah Gill in Dividend Stocks, Hedge Funds, News

In this article, we discuss 12 best dividend stocks with high upside potential. You can skip our detailed analysis of dividend stocks and their past performance, and go directly to read 5 Best Dividend Stocks with High Upside Potential.

The current state of the US economy is uncertain with many analysts gravitating toward the idea of a recession occurring this year. Citi’s chief US economist, Andrew Hollenhorst, highlighted significant challenges in his interview with CNBC, indicating that the country might fall into recession in the middle of 2024. He said that various factors like consumer weakness, high credit-card delinquency rates, and a weak labor market are indicators of deep-rooted issues within the economic landscape. In times like these, investors mainly focus on increasing their income-generating investments to ensure they have enough cash flow to sustain themselves. Dividend stocks offer reliability in this regard as these equities have proved their mettle in uncertain market conditions over the years.

One instance of the outperformance of dividend stocks occurred recently in 2022 when the S&P 500 declined by over 18% and dividend stocks experienced a relatively minor drop. The companies in the S&P 500 that paid dividends fell by 11.1% in 2022, while non-dividend payers plummeted by 38.7%. If we analyze historical data, we find that dividend stocks have maintained a stable performance over the long term as well. In our article titled 25 Things Every Dividend Investor Should Know, we cited data from Hartford Funds, which reviewed the returns of dividend stocks from 1973 to 2023. The report mentioned that dividend-paying companies achieved an annual average return of 9.17% during this period, compared with a 4.27% annual average return of those that did not pay dividends. The report also mentioned that companies that maintained their dividends during this timeframe fared better than non-dividend payers but underperformed dividend payers, returning 6.74%. AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV), Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL), and PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) are some of the best dividend stocks that have been growing their dividends for years.

As mentioned above, income generation has always remained a top priority for investors, especially during certain market conditions. previous inflationary periods have brought dividend stocks into the limelight as these securities performed much better than their non-dividend counterparts. Hartford Funds did a detailed review of this performance and highlighted that in eight inflationary periods between 1970 and 2022, returns of dividend stocks have surpassed those of non-dividend stocks. The report further mentioned that the 1970s were a time of high inflation in the US, mainly due to rising oil prices. Dividends played an important role during this period, making up for nearly 73% of the S&P 500’s overall returns. In addition to this, dividend stocks have also outpaced inflation over the past 150 years. According to our research from BlackRock, dividends from US companies have delivered an annual average growth rate of 3.7%, surpassing the average annual inflation rate of 2%.

In 2023, dividend stocks didn’t perform as well as they did the year before, but analysts are still hopeful about their performance this year. This optimism comes from the fact that companies in the US distributed record amounts in dividends last year. According to a Dividend Forecast report by S&P Global, the US will contribute the most significant increase in annual dividends for the third consecutive year. The firm projects that an additional $28 billion will be distributed in 2024 across all 20 sectors, with an average growth rate of 6% in regular base dividends. This growth will partially be driven by companies that reinstated their dividends in 2023 following pandemic-related cuts. Considering analysts’ positive dividend forecast, we will take a look at some of the best dividend stocks with huge upside potential.

Photo by Viacheslav Bublyk on Unsplash

Our Methodology:

For this list, we first used a stock screener to identify dividend stocks with stable dividend yields and steady dividend histories. From this list, we selected dividend stocks with a projected upside potential of over 30% based on analyst price targets, as of April 15. The stocks are ranked according to their upside potential. Data from around 900 elite hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey in the fourth quarter of 2023 was used to identify the number of hedge funds that hold stakes in each firm. Hedge funds’ top 10 consensus stock picks outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). That’s why we pay very close attention to this often-ignored indicator.

12. Yum China Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:YUMC)

Upside Potential as of April 15: 35.2%

Yum China Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:YUMC) is a Shanghai-based fast-food restaurant company that offers a variety of food and beverage options to its consumers. On February 7, the company declared a 23% hike in its quarterly dividend to $0.16 per share. It started paying dividends in 2017 and has paid regular dividends to shareholders since then. In FY23, the company returned $833 million to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, which makes YUMC one of the best dividend stocks on our list. The stock has a dividend yield of 1.71%, as of April 15.

At the end of Q4 2023, 22 hedge funds in Insider Monkey’s database held stakes in Yum China Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:YUMC), compared with 29 in the previous quarter. These stakes have a total value of more than $784 million. With over 8.8 million shares, GuardCap Asset Management was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q4.

11. International Game Technology PLC (NYSE:IGT)

Upside Potential as of April 15: 37.1%

International Game Technology PLC (NYSE:IGT) is an American gaming company that specializes in a variety of gaming products and offers related services to its consumers. It is one of the best dividend stocks on our list as the company has never missed a dividend since 1993. On March 12, the company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.20 per share, which was in line with its previous dividend. The stock’s dividend yield on April 15 came in at 4.02%.

The number of hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey owning stakes in International Game Technology PLC (NYSE:IGT) grew to 33 in Q4 2023, from 29 in the previous quarter. The total value of these stakes is over $293.3 million.

10. British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI)

Upside Potential as of April 15: 35.5%

British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI) is a multinational tobacco company that manufactures and sells cigarettes and other nicotine products as well. On February 13, the company hiked its quarterly dividend by 6.1% to $0.7431 per share. In FY23, it returned £5.05 billion to shareholders through dividends, which makes BTI one of the best dividend stocks on our list. The stock has a dividend yield of 10.31%, as of April 15.

Insider Monkey’s database of Q4 2023 indicated that 22 hedge funds held stakes in British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI), growing from 17 in the previous quarter. These stakes have a consolidated value of over $396 million. With roughly 8 million shares, Orbis Investment Management was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q4.

9. Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P. (NYSE:BEP)

Upside Potential as of April 15: 37.8%

With an upside potential of 37.8%, Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P. (NYSE:BEP) is next on our list of the best dividend stocks. The renewable energy company owns and operates renewable power assets. The company currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.355 per share, having raised it by 5.2% in February this year. This was the company’s 12th consecutive year of dividend growth. The stock has a dividend yield of 6.40%, as of April 15.

As of the close of Q4 2023, 17 hedge funds in Insider Monkey’s database held stakes in Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P. (NYSE:BEP), up from 16 in the previous quarter. These stakes have a collective value of over $296.6 million. Among these hedge funds, Select Equity Group was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q4.

8. Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation (NASDAQ:BGFV)

Upside Potential as of April 15: 41.07%

Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation (NASDAQ:BGFV) is a California-based sporting goods company that also specializes in outdoor equipment. The company offers a quarterly dividend of $0.05 per share and has a dividend yield of 6.35%, as of April 15. With an upside potential of over 41%, BGFV is one of the best dividend stocks on our list.

According to Insider Monkey’s database of Q4 2023, 6 hedge funds held stakes in Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation (NASDAQ:BGFV), up from 4 in the preceding quarter. These stakes have a total value of more than $3.4 million.

7. Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ:JACK)

Upside Potential as of April 15: 45.2%

Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ:JACK) is an American fast-food restaurant chain that offers a wide variety of menu items. On February 22, the company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.44 per share, which was in line with its previous dividend. It is one of the best dividend stocks on our list as the company has been paying regular dividends to shareholders since 2014. The stock’s dividend yield on April 15 came in at 2.97%.

Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ:JACK) was a popular buy among hedge funds in Q4 2023 with 21 funds holding stakes in the company, up from 14 in the preceding quarter, according to our database. These stakes have a total value of over $109 million. Israel Englander’s Millennium Management was the largest stakeholder of the company in Q4.

6. Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:IRDM)

Upside Potential as of April 15: 47.3%

Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:IRDM) ranks sixth on our list of the best dividend stocks with an upside potential of 47.3%. The American mobile phone operator company initiated its dividend policy in 2022 and has paid regular dividends since then. Its quarterly dividend currently comes in at $0.13 per share for a dividend yield of 2.14%, as of April 15.

At the end of the fourth quarter of 2023, 33 hedge funds held stakes in Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:IRDM), growing from 28 in the previous quarter. These stakes are collectively valued at over $425.4 million.

Click to continue reading and see 5 Best Dividend Stocks with High Upside Potential.

AI, Tariffs, Nuclear Power: One Undervalued Stock Connects ALL the Dots (Before It Explodes!)

Published on June 23, 2025 at by Inan Dogan, PhD

Artificial intelligence is the greatest investment opportunity of our lifetime. The time to invest in groundbreaking AI is now, and this stock is a steal!

AI is eating the world—and the machines behind it are ravenous.

Each ChatGPT query, each model update, each robotic breakthrough consumes massive amounts of energy. In fact, AI is already pushing global power grids to the brink.

Wall Street is pouring hundreds of billions into artificial intelligence—training smarter chatbots, automating industries, and building the digital future. But there’s one urgent question few are asking:

Where will all of that energy come from?

AI is the most electricity-hungry technology ever invented. Each data center powering large language models like ChatGPT consumes as much energy as a small city. And it’s about to get worse.

Even Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, issued a stark warning:

“The future of AI depends on an energy breakthrough.”

Elon Musk was even more blunt:

“AI will run out of electricity by next year.”

As the world chases faster, smarter machines, a hidden crisis is emerging behind the scenes. Power grids are strained. Electricity prices are rising. Utilities are scrambling to expand capacity.

And that’s where the real opportunity lies…

One little-known company—almost entirely overlooked by most AI investors—could be the ultimate backdoor play. It’s not a chipmaker. It’s not a cloud platform. But it might be the most important AI stock in the US owns critical energy infrastructure assets positioned to feed the coming AI energy spike.

As demand from AI data centers explodes, this company is gearing up to profit from the most valuable commodity in the digital age: electricity.

The “Toll Booth” Operator of the AI Energy Boom

It owns critical nuclear energy infrastructure assets, positioning it at the heart of America’s next-generation power strategy.
It’s one of the only global companies capable of executing large-scale, complex EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) projects across oil, gas, renewable fuels, and industrial infrastructure.
It plays a pivotal role in U.S. LNG exportation—a sector about to explode under President Trump’s renewed “America First” energy doctrine.

Trump has made it clear: Europe and U.S. allies must buy American LNG.

And our company sits in the toll booth—collecting fees on every drop exported.

But that’s not all…

As Trump’s proposed tariffs push American manufacturers to bring their operations back home, this company will be first in line to rebuild, retrofit, and reengineer those facilities.

AI. Energy. Tariffs. Onshoring. This One Company Ties It All Together.

While the world is distracted by flashy AI tickers, a few smart investors are quietly scooping up shares of the one company powering it all from behind the scenes.

AI needs energy. Energy needs infrastructure.

And infrastructure needs a builder with experience, scale, and execution.

This company has its finger in every pie—and Wall Street is just starting to notice.

Wall Street is noticing this company also because it is quietly riding all of these tailwinds—without the sky-high valuation.

While most energy and utility firms are buried under mountains of debt and coughing up hefty interest payments just to appease bondholders…

This company is completely debt-free.

In fact, it’s sitting on a war chest of cash—equal to nearly one-third of its entire market cap.

It also owns a huge equity stake in another red-hot AI play, giving investors indirect exposure to multiple AI growth engines without paying a premium.

And here’s what the smart money has started whispering…

The Hedge Fund Secret That’s Starting to Leak Out

This stock is so off-the-radar, so absurdly undervalued, that some of the most secretive hedge fund managers in the world have begun pitching it at closed-door investment summits.

They’re sharing it quietly, away from the cameras, to rooms full of ultra-wealthy clients.

Why? Because excluding cash and investments, this company is trading at less than 7 times earnings.

And that’s for a business tied to:

The AI infrastructure supercycle
The onshoring boom driven by Trump-era tariffs
A surge in U.S. LNG exports
And a unique footprint in nuclear energy—the future of clean, reliable power

You simply won’t find another AI and energy stock this cheap… with this much upside.

This isn’t a hype stock. It’s not riding on hope.

It’s delivering real cash flows, owns critical infrastructure, and holds stakes in other major growth stories.

This is your chance to get in before the rockets take off!

Disruption is the New Name of the Game: Let’s face it, complacency breeds stagnation.

AI is the ultimate disruptor, and it’s shaking the foundations of traditional industries.

The companies that embrace AI will thrive, while the dinosaurs clinging to outdated methods will be left in the dust.

As an investor, you want to be on the side of the winners, and AI is the winning ticket.

The Talent Pool is Overflowing: The world’s brightest minds are flocking to AI.

From computer scientists to mathematicians, the next generation of innovators is pouring its energy into this field.

This influx of talent guarantees a constant stream of groundbreaking ideas and rapid advancements.

By investing in AI, you’re essentially backing the future.

The future is powered by artificial intelligence, and the time to invest is NOW.

Don’t be a spectator in this technological revolution.

Dive into the AI gold rush and watch your portfolio soar alongside the brightest minds of our generation.

This isn’t just about making money – it’s about being part of the future.

So, buckle up and get ready for the ride of your investment life!

Act Now and Unlock a Potential 100+% Return within 12 to 24 months.

We’re now offering month-to-month subscriptions with no commitments.

For a ridiculously low price of just $9.99 per month, you can unlock our in-depth investment research and exclusive insights – that’s less than a single fast food meal!

Here’s why this is a deal you can’t afford to pass up:

Access to our Detailed Report on our AI, Tariffs, and Nuclear Energy Stock with 100+% potential upside within 12 to 24 months
BONUS REPORT on our #1 AI-Robotics Stock with 10000% upside potential: Our in-depth report dives deep into our #1 AI/robotics stock’s groundbreaking technology and massive growth potential.
One New Issue of Our Premium Readership Newsletter: You will also receive one new issue per month and at least one new stock pick per month from our monthly newsletter’s portfolio over the next 12 months. These stocks are handpicked by our research director, Dr. Inan Dogan.
One free upcoming issue of our 70+ page Quarterly Newsletter: A value of $149
Bonus Content: Premium access to members-only fund manager video interviews
Ad-Free Browsing: Enjoy a month of investment research free from distracting banner and pop-up ads, allowing you to focus on uncovering the next big opportunity.
Lifetime Price Guarantee: Your renewal rate will always remain the same as long as your subscription is active.
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: If you’re not absolutely satisfied with our service, we’ll provide a full refund within 30 days, no questions asked.

Space is Limited! Only 1000 spots are available for this exclusive offer. Don’t let this chance slip away – subscribe to our Premium Readership Newsletter today and unlock the potential for a life-changing investment.

Here’s what to do next:

1. Head over to our website and subscribe to our Premium Readership Newsletter for just $9.99.

2. Enjoy a month of ad-free browsing, exclusive access to our in-depth report on the Trump tariff and nuclear energy company as well as the revolutionary AI-robotics company, and the upcoming issues of our Premium Readership Newsletter.

3. Sit back, relax, and know that you’re backed by our ironclad 30-day money-back guarantee.

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! Subscribe now and take control of your AI investment future!

Subscribe Now!

No worries about auto-renewals! Our 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee applies whether you’re joining us for the first time or renewing your subscription a month later!

Insider Monkey Ads

A New Dawn is Coming to U.S. Stocks

Published on June 13, 2025 at by Insider Monkey Staff

I work for one of the largest independent financial publishers in the world – representing over 1 million people in 148 countries.

We’re independently funding today’s broadcast to address something on the mind of every investor in America right now…

Should I put my money in Artificial Intelligence?

Here to answer that for us… and give away his No. 1 free AI recommendation… is 50-year Wall Street titan, Marc Chaikin.

Marc’s been a trader, stockbroker, and analyst. He was the head of the options department at a major brokerage firm and is a sought-after expert for CNBC, Fox Business, Barron’s, and Yahoo! Finance…

But what Marc’s most known for is his award-winning stock-rating system. Which determines whether a stock could shoot sky-high in the next three to six months… or come crashing down.

That’s why Marc’s work appears in every Bloomberg and Reuters terminal on the planet…

And is still used by hundreds of banks, hedge funds, and brokerages to track the billions of dollars flowing in and out of stocks each day.

He’s used this system to survive nine bear markets… create three new indices for the Nasdaq… and even predict the brutal bear market of 2022, 90 days in advance.

Click to continue reading…

Insider Monkey Ads

Markets

Insider Trading

Hedge Funds

Retirement

Opinion

Log In

Sign Up

12 Best Dividend Stocks with High Upside Potential

Published on April 16, 2024 at 3:02 am by Vardah Gill in Dividend Stocks, Hedge Funds, News

12. Yum China Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:YUMC)

11. International Game Technology PLC (NYSE:IGT)

10. British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI)

9. Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P. (NYSE:BEP)

8. Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation (NASDAQ:BGFV)

7. Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ:JACK)

6. Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:IRDM)

AI, Tariffs, Nuclear Power: One Undervalued Stock Connects ALL the Dots (Before It Explodes!)

Published on June 23, 2025 at by Inan Dogan, PhD

Here’s why this is a deal you can’t afford to pass up:

A New Dawn is Coming to U.S. Stocks

Published on June 13, 2025 at by Insider Monkey Staff

Markets

Insider Trading

Hedge Funds

Retirement

Opinion

Premium

Log In

Sign Up

12 Best Dividend Stocks with High Upside Potential

Published on April 16, 2024 at 3:02 am by Vardah Gill in Dividend Stocks, Hedge Funds, News

Share

12. Yum China Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:YUMC)

11. International Game Technology PLC (NYSE:IGT)

10. British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE:BTI)

9. Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P. (NYSE:BEP)

8. Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation (NASDAQ:BGFV)

7. Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ:JACK)

6. Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:IRDM)

Share

AI, Tariffs, Nuclear Power: One Undervalued Stock Connects ALL the Dots (Before It Explodes!)

Published on June 23, 2025 at by Inan Dogan, PhD

Here’s why this is a deal you can’t afford to pass up:

A New Dawn is Coming to U.S. Stocks

Published on June 13, 2025 at by Insider Monkey Staff