12 Best Non-REIT Dividend Stocks To Buy

Published on November 4, 2022 at 4:19 pm by Hamna Asim in Hedge Funds, News

In this article, we discuss 12 best non-REIT dividend stocks to buy. If you want to see more stocks in this selection, go see 5 Best Non-REIT Dividend Stocks To Buy.

A well-proven way to fight inflation is to look for investments that have categorically outperformed during times of high inflation. Dividends have contributed nearly 40% of the total return of the S&P 500 since 1930. When inflation averaged at 5% or more during the 1940s, 1970s, and 1980s, dividends contributed to 54% of the total return of the S&P 500, as per Naveed Rahman, co-manager of the Fidelity Equity-Income Strategy.

Denise Chisholm, director of quantitative market strategy at Fidelity and an expert at historical market patterns, said:

“Based on history, if high inflation is here to stay, I believe dividend growth stocks look likely to outperform.”

According to Hartford Funds, the average dividend payout ratio over the last 95 years came in at 56.6%. As of December 31, 2021, the dividend payout ratio stood at only 31.6%, which leaves sufficient room for growth. As of September 30, 2022, 20% of the stocks in the S&P 500 Index have dividend yields greater than the 10-Year US Treasury Note. Moreover, companies that boost dividends and initiate payouts to shareholders have historically provided higher total return as compared to firms that either maintained or slashed their dividends. Some of the best dividend stocks to consider include JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM), Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS), and Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX).

Our Methodology

Many dividend investors flock to REIT dividend stocks because they offer high yields. However, REITs are extremely vulnerable to economic cycles and have been hammered on the back of fears related to declining consumer spending, mortgage markets and housing. Therefore, our focus would be non-REIT dividend stocks in this article.

We selected the following dividend stocks based on positive analyst coverage, strong business fundamentals, and dividend yields higher than 3% as of November 4. We have arranged the list according to the number of hedge fund holders in each firm, tracked by Insider Monkey as of the second quarter of 2022.

Best Non-REIT Dividend Stocks To Buy

12. American Electric Power Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEP)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 30

Dividend Yield as of November 4: 3.77%

American Electric Power Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEP) is a major investor-owned electric utility company in the United States. On October 25, American Electric Power Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEP) declared a $0.83 per share quarterly dividend, a 6.4% increase from its prior dividend of $0.78. The dividend is payable on December 9, to shareholders of the company as of November 10. American Electric Power Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEP)’s dividend yield on November 4 came in at 3.77%.

On October 24, Guggenheim analyst Shahriar Pourreza maintained a Buy rating on American Electric Power Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEP) but trimmed the price target on the shares to $93 from $109. The analyst is refreshing some estimates ahead of Q3 earnings season from the Power and Utilities group.

According to Insider Monkey’s data, 30 hedge funds were bullish on American Electric Power Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEP) at the end of June 2022, compared to 33 funds in the prior quarter. Jim Simons’ Renaissance Technologies is the leading position holder in the company, with more than 1 million shares worth $99 million.

Like JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM), Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS), and Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX), American Electric Power Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEP) is one of the best dividend stocks to monitor.

Here is what ClearBridge Investments Value Equity has to say about American Electric Power Company, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEP) in its Q1 2022 investor letter:

“About 5% of the portfolio is in transitioning power companies, typically migrating from coal to renewables. We have been active in encouraging these transitions and added a new position in American Electric Power (NASDAQ:AEP). AEP has the fastest planned renewable energy ramp in the U.S., with plans to both shrink coal and grow renewables by 50% each by 2030. This would drive an 80% emissions reduction, while supporting high single-digit earnings growth at a double-digit return.”

11. United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 38

Dividend Yield as of November 4: 3.71%

United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) is an American provider of letter and package delivery, transportation, logistics, and related services. On November 2, United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) declared a $1.52 per share quarterly dividend, in line with previous. The dividend is payable on December 1, to shareholders of the company as of November 14. United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS)’s dividend yield on November 4 came in at 3.71%.

On October 26, UBS analyst Thomas Wadewitz raised the price target on United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) to $196 from $182 and maintained a Buy rating on the shares. The analyst cited United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS)’s upbeat Q3 earnings and better than expected guidance for Q4, with a more favorable framework for International Package and Supply Chain margins than forecasted.

According to Insider Monkey’s second quarter database, United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) was part of 38 hedge fund portfolios, compared to 50 in the prior quarter. Phill Gross and Robert Atchinson’s Adage Capital Management is a prominent position holder in the company, with 764,900 shares worth $140 million.

Here is what ClearBridge Large Cap Growth ESG Strategy has to say about United Parcel Service, Inc. (NYSE:UPS) in its Q2 2022 investor letter:

“UPS has been a beneficiary of the pandemic-related shift to e-commerce. Revenues increased 15% in the year, with strong leverage in the business boosting operating profit by al- most 67%. Management is focusing on a ‘Better not Bigger’ strategy for the business and divested the UPS Freight business early in the year. Mean- while, the company is expected to increase distributions to shareholders in 2022, from both dividends and share buybacks.”

10. Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 39

Dividend Yield as of November 4: 3.46%

Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL), a London-based energy and petrochemical company, is one of the best dividend stocks to invest in. October 27, Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) declared a $0.50 per average diluted share quarterly dividend, in line with previous. The dividend is distributable on December 19, to shareholders of record on November 11. Share repurchase authorization of $4 billion was also announced, and it is expected to be concluded by Q4 2022. Dividend per share will likely increase in Q4, and total shareholder distributions in 2022 will amount to approximately $26 billion.

On October 28, Deutsche Bank analyst James Hubbard reiterated a Buy recommendation on Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) but lowered the firm’s price target on the shares to 2,761 GBp from 2,779 GBp.

According to Insider Monkey’s data, Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) was part of 39 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q2 2022, compared to 37 in the prior quarter. Ken Fisher’s Fisher Asset Management is the largest position holder in the company, with 20.25 million shares worth $1.06 billion.

Here is what Harding Loevner International Equity Fund has to say about Shell plc (NYSE:SHEL) in its Q1 2022 investor letter:

“While risks of unforeseen consequences arising from the Ukraine conflict are high, on this front we are cautiously optimistic that China will work hard to maintain its neutrality in a credible way, as it is a huge beneficiary of trade with the rest of the world, especially the rich developed nations. We think it likely that China, along with India, will continue to buy oil and gas from Russia (just as Europe, at least for now, plans to keep its gas pipelines open), and do not expect that fact to alter China’s trade relations with the West much. Nevertheless, we must contemplate that our optimism is misplaced on the importance of membership in the global network of exchange. If our central and optimistic case—admittedly an educated guess—is wrong, then we’d need to greatly modify our views of which companies in our opportunity set will face new barriers to profitable growth, and which might stand to benefit, relatively, from a further receding of globalization. (Global trade, after all, has never matched the peak share of GDP it reached in 2008, before the Global Financial Crisis.) We’d expect such a world to be less efficient, as the cold logic of comparative advantage is demoted as a determinant of which goods or services are produced and where. That would lead to a less prosperous world, since exploiting comparative advantage is a cornerstone of wealth creation. If regional blocs began to raise limits on the movement of capital as well as goods, we’d need to parse which of our multinational companies were at risk of declining sales from increasingly hostile, siloed countries. Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:SHEL) has found its Siberian oil and gas joint venture assets stranded by the combination of sanctions and the public opprobrium of Russia’s actions.”

9. International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 40

Dividend Yield as of November 4: 4.82%

International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) is an American multinational technology company, operating through four business segments – Software, Consulting, Infrastructure, and Financing. On October 25, International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) declared a quarterly dividend of $1.65 per share. The dividend is distributable on December 10, to shareholders of record on November 10. International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) is one of the highest yielding technology dividend stocks.

On October 17, Stifel analyst David Grossman reaffirmed a Buy recommendation on International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) but trimmed the price target on the stock to $140 from $150. IBM is defensive and likely affected less than most large-cap tech, but it is not immune to weak GDP growth and foreign exchange headwinds, said the analyst.

Among the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey, 40 funds reported owning stakes in International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) at the end of June 2022, compared to 43 funds in the prior quarter. Peter Rathjens, Bruce Clarke, and John Campbell’s Arrowstreet Capital is a significant position holder in the company, with 2.6 million shares worth $372.6 million.

In its Q1 2022 investor letter, St. James Investment Company, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

“IBM was not the first company to build computers. The distinction belongs to Sperry-Rand’s subsidiary UNIVAC, which introduced the first commercially successful computers in the early 1950s. In this era, IBM did possess the largest research and development department of the business machines industry and quickly caught up, introducing cost-competitive computers a few years after UNIVAC. By the late 1950s, IBM held the dominant market share in computers. IBM also touted a vastly superior sales organization, which used a sales tactic called “paper machines” (the equivalent of today’s “vaporware”). If a competitor’s product was selling well in a market segment that IBM had yet to penetrate, the company would announce a competing product and start taking orders for the “paper machine” long before it was available. (read more)

8. AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 47

Dividend Yield as of November 4: 3.13%

AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN), a UK-based biopharmaceutical company focused on the manufacturing and commercialization of prescription medicines, is one of the premier dividend stocks to invest in. On November 4, The European Commission approved AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN) and Sanofi’s antibody therapy Beyfortus to prevent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in newborns and infants during their first RSV season. The EMA had issued a positive opinion for the approval of Beyfortus in September.

Investment advisory Berenberg on October 19 maintained a Buy recommendation on AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN) but lowered the firm’s price target on the shares to 118 GBp from 120 GBp. Analyst Luisa Hector issued the ratings update.

According to Insider Monkey’s Q2 data, 47 hedge funds were bullish on AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN), compared to 45 funds in the earlier quarter. Rajiv Jain’s GQG Partners is a prominent stakeholder of the company, with 18.7 million shares worth $1.2 billion.

Here is what Baron Funds specifically said about AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN) in its Q3 2022 investor letter:

“AstraZeneca PLC (NASDAQ:AZN) is a global pharmaceutical company focused on oncology, respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolism drugs. Despite incremental positive news flow, shares were hurt by the broader flight out of European stocks and the decline in the British Pound that started late in the quarter. We retain conviction in AstraZeneca given its best-in-class growth profile combined with its strong pipeline and commercial launch characteristics. We highlight breast cancer drugs Enhertu and Dato-DXd as two promising near-term opportunities.”

7. Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 55

Dividend Yield as of November 4: 3.09%

Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN) is a Texas-based company that designs, manufactures, and sells semiconductors to electronics designers and manufacturers worldwide. On October 20, Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN) declared a $1.24 per share quarterly dividend, in line with previous. The dividend is payable on November 15, to shareholders of record on October 31.

Benchmark analyst Cody Acree on October 26 maintained a Buy rating on Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN) but lowered the price target on the shares to $189 from $205 following the company’s Q3 earnings report. He was encouraged by the company’s Q3 revenue and earnings upside and believes that its cautious Q4 guidance is “prudent and generally as expected by much of the Street,” the analyst told investors. He believes Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN)’s product, customer, and end market exposure position it to “weather the current cyclical correction better than most.”

According to Insider Monkey’s data, 55 hedge funds were long Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN) at the end of June 2022, up from 46 funds in the previous quarter. Jean-Marie Eveillard’s First Eagle Investment Management is the largest position holder in the company, with 3.5 million shares worth $542 million.

Here is what Davis Opportunity Fund has to say about Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN) in its Q4 2021 investor letter:

“Within technology and communication services, we own a number of online businesses and semiconductor related companies, including Alphabet, Amazon, Intel, Applied Materials and Texas Instruments. Within the realm of high technology, we believe that leadership positions reflect enduring and widening competitive advantages over smaller competitors, with few exceptions. This is because online businesses, as well as semiconductor companies, benefit from economies of scale. An online search and advertising engine will, in general, be more profitable per unit of cost as it grows larger in terms of users and advertising dollars. It is a hub-and-spoke model, in other words, where it is generally not necessary to grow expenses at the same rate that revenues grow beyond a certain threshold. Therefore, returns on capital tend to be higher, the larger and more dominant the online search company is.”

6. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 55

Dividend Yield as of November 4: 6.06%

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a Texas-based provider of telecommunications, media, and technology services worldwide. On October 20, AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) posted a Q3 non-GAAP EPS of $0.68 and a revenue of $30 billion, outperforming Wall Street estimates by $0.07 and $140 million, respectively. The company now expects adjusted EPS from continuing operations for the full-year to be $2.50 or above, compared to the earlier outlook of $2.42-$2.46 and the consensus of $2.55.

On October 24, Raymond James analyst Frank Louthan upgraded AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) to Strong Buy from Outperform with an unchanged price target of $24. The analyst believes AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) will outpace Verizon over the next few months based on the present operating performance of the two businesses.

According to Insider Monkey’s data, 55 hedge funds were bullish on AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) at the end of the second quarter of 2022, compared to 74 funds in the last quarter. D E Shaw held the leading position in the company, comprising 11.4 million shares worth $240 million.

In addition to JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM), Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS), and Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX), AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is one of the top dividend stocks to invest in.

Here is what Chartwell Investment Partners has to say about AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) in its Q2 2022 investor letter:

“In the Dividend Equity accounts, the three best performers in Q2 include AT&T (NYSE:T, 2.5%), up 17.1%. AT&T completed the spin off of the WarnerMedia business (HBO, CNN, etc.), and the market seemed to like the “back-to-basics” approach. Also, the telco business is expected to do relatively well in an inflationary environment.”

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