In this article, we will take a look at the 13 Best February Dividend Stocks To Buy.
Markets may feel rougher in 2026. For many investors, that raises a familiar question: how to stay invested without taking on unnecessary stress.
Dividend growth stocks often come up in that discussion. Nuveen’s chief investment officer, Saira Malik, recently said equity markets are likely to stay unsettled. She pointed to macroeconomic pressures, geopolitical risks, policy uncertainty, and changing views on artificial intelligence as key sources of volatility.
There is no simple fix for those forces. Malik noted that history offers some perspective. Dividend growth companies have tended to produce stronger returns with less risk than the broader market over time. She also made it clear that dividends and dividend growth are never guaranteed. Still, their relative predictability can help anchor portfolios when markets turn unstable. Many long-term investors have seen this play out firsthand during past drawdowns.
Recent figures back up that argument. Data from S&P Dow Jones Indices shows that net US common dividend increases reached $13.1 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025. That compares with $11.7 billion in the same period a year earlier. The trend remains constructive. Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices, said the pace of dividend increases should remain strong, with the first quarter of 2026 shaping up to be an especially active and positive period for hikes.
Silverblatt tied that outlook to record earnings and sales, with more records expected in 2026. At the same time, he does not expect aggressive payout growth. S&P 500 companies are likely to keep dividend increases in the mid-single-digit range as they weigh solid fundamentals against persistent uncertainty and a rapidly evolving policy landscape.
For investors focused on adding stability, that balance may be exactly the point. Given this, we will take a look at some of the best dividend stocks to invest in.
Our Methodology:
For this list, we selected dividend stocks that will trade ex-dividend in February 2026. The ex-dividend date indicates the cutoff day to buy a stock to receive its upcoming dividend payment. The stocks are ranked according to their ex-dividend dates.
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 427.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 264 percentage points (see more details here).
13. Western Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE:WES)
Ex-Dividend Date: February 2
On January 22, Wells Fargo analyst Ned Baramov lowered the firm’s price target on Western Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE:WES) to $39 from $40 while maintaining an Equal Weight rating on the stock. The adjustment reflects updated assumptions for 2026 and beyond, including lower expected operating cash flow, reduced capital spending in 2026, a smaller unit count and distributions, and higher anticipated cost savings.
A few days earlier, on January 20, Western Midstream said it had renegotiated certain contracts with Occidental Petroleum tied to its Delaware Basin assets. The revised agreement moves natural gas gathering to a simpler fixed-fee structure. As part of the deal, Occidental will transfer 15.3 million common units, valued at about $610 million, back to Western Midstream. Once those units are redeemed, Occidental’s ownership stake is expected to fall to roughly 40%.
Occidental remains Western Midstream’s largest shareholder, according to LSEG data. After the contract changes, about 9% of Western’s revenue will still be generated under cost-of-service arrangements. Most of those contracts are set to expire between the late 2020s and the mid-to-late 2030s, at which point they could shift to fixed-fee terms. Under the previous structure, fees were based on the cost of providing services plus a regulated return. Under the new agreement, Occidental will pay a fixed rate instead.
Western Midstream also entered into a new natural gas gathering and processing agreement with ConocoPhillips covering a portion of its Delaware Basin volumes.
Western Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE:WES) operates and develops midstream assets across Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.
12. Brown & Brown, Inc. (NYSE:BRO)
Ex-Dividend Date: February 4
On January 27, BofA analyst Joshua Shanker cut his price target on Brown & Brown, Inc. (NYSE:BRO) to $90 from $94. The analyst kept a Neutral rating on the stock. He said fourth-quarter operating earnings came in at $0.93 per share, below the firm’s $0.96 estimate but slightly ahead of the Street’s consensus of $0.90. After the results, BofA lowered its earnings forecasts for 2026, 2027, and 2028 by 4.8%, 5.1%, and 5.3%, pointing to slower expected organic growth.
A day earlier, Brown & Brown reported higher adjusted profit for the fourth quarter, helped by stronger commission and fee income. The market response was less forgiving. Shares fell nearly 6% as investors focused on weakening organic growth. Organic revenue slipped to $1.08 billion in the three months ended December 31, down from $1.11 billion a year earlier.
At the same time, commissions and fees rose sharply. The company posted a 36% increase to $1.58 billion for the quarter. That pushed total revenue up to $1.61 billion, compared with $1.18 billion in the same period last year. Investment and other income also edged higher, rising to $27 million from $23 million a year earlier. Adjusted earnings for the quarter came in at $0.93 per share, up from $0.86 a year earlier.
Brown & Brown, Inc. (NYSE:BRO) operates as an insurance broker, connecting customers with insurers across a wide range of policies. The company focuses on risk management and sells insurance products primarily in property, casualty, and employee benefits.
11. Matson, Inc. (NYSE:MATX)
Ex-Dividend Date: February 5
Stephens raised its price target on Matson, Inc. (NYSE:MATX) to $213 from $190 on January 21. The firm maintained an Overweight rating after the company released preliminary Q4 earnings last week. Following the update, the firm lifted its fourth-quarter EPS estimate to $4.47 from $2.77, citing higher volumes disclosed by Matson, improved pricing, and ocean margins that came in well ahead of expectations.
During the preliminary earnings call, Chairman and CEO Matt Cox said the company finished the year with momentum. Consolidated fourth-quarter results exceeded expectations, helped by stronger-than-anticipated freight rates and volumes in the China service. Cox said demand for e-commerce and electronic goods continued to support shipping activity, while freight volumes remained solid across major customer segments.
He also noted that conditions in the Transpacific tradelane had stabilized after the US-China trade and economic agreement announced on October 30, 2025. According to Cox, the agreement reduced uncertainty around tariffs, port entry fees, global trade flows, and broader geopolitical risks. Looking ahead, Cox said Matson expects full-year 2026 consolidated operating income to be roughly in line with 2025, supported by steady US consumer demand and a more predictable Transpacific environment. For the fourth quarter of 2025, the company expects consolidated operating income between $135.0 million and $145.0 million. Net income is projected to range from $131.3 million to $146.3 million, with diluted EPS between $4.22 and $4.70. He added that fourth-quarter EPS includes an estimated $0.77 per share benefit from favorable income tax adjustments.
Matson plans to provide more detail on its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results, along with its outlook for 2026, during its earnings call scheduled for February 24, 2026. Matson, Inc. (NYSE:MATX) is an ocean transportation and logistics company operating through its Ocean Transportation and Logistics segments.
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