In this article, we will take a look at some of the best American stocks to buy for the long term.

Investors around the world focus on long-term strategies, and for that, they are looking beyond traditional investment ideas. According to Charles Schwab’s 2025 Modern Wealth Survey, two-thirds of Americans are now taking diversification into account, and nearly 42% believe that a 60/40 portfolio is outdated.

That said, long-term investing still holds strong appeal, as the survey suggested that six in 10 participants said that today’s market requires discipline over the long run. In addition, seven out of 10 asserted that they have more patience to see their investments grow compared to when they first began. Not only Millennials, but Gen Z investors also said that they are not rushing their investments.

This long-term idea fits well with dividend investing, as these stocks are known for delivering steady returns over time. Finding dividend stocks is easy to navigate, considering that 407 companies, which represent 80.9% of the S&P 500, pay dividends to shareholders as of the third quarter of 2025, according to a report by S&P Dow Jones Indices. The report further revealed that 28 out of 30 constituents of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) offer dividends, with their average yield coming in at 1.93%.

Given this, we will take a look at some of the best American dividend stocks to consider.

Our Methodology

For this article, we screened for US companies that offer regular dividends to shareholders. From that list, we identified companies with a 5-year revenue growth above 9% and positive analyst sentiment. From the resultant list, we picked 14 companies that were most popular among hedge funds, as per Insider Monkey’s database of Q3 2025.

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).

14. Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 32

5-Year Revenue Growth: 9.92%

Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO) is among the best American stocks to buy now.

On December 2, Mizuho analyst Gabriel Moreen boosted the price target on Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO) to $180 from $170 and maintained a Neutral rating on the stock. The update came after the company’s Q4 earnings last month. Moreen appreciated the company’s fundamentals and performance in the quarter and said that the stock’s current price already reflects these strengths.

In its Q4 2025 earnings, Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO) declared that this was its 14th year in which the company implemented its proven strategy of operating safely and reliably while revamping its natural gas distribution, transmission, and storage systems. The company’s capital expenditures in FY25 amounted to $3.6 billion, with approximately 87% going toward safety and reliability. It also declared a 15% hike in its quarterly dividend, marking its 41st consecutive year of dividend growth.

Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:ATO) is a Texas-based natural gas distribution company that delivers natural gas to approximately 3.4 million customers in the South.

13. CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 41

5-Year Revenue Growth: 15.96%

CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) is one of the best American stocks to invest in.

On December 2, CIBC analyst Hamir Patel initiated coverage on CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) with a Neutral rating and an $87 price target.

The company is investing heavily in decarbonizing production by developing low-carbon ammonia. These aspects have already helped it to gain a very high rate of return for shareholders. The company’s trailing twelve-month operating cash flow came in at $2.63 billion, with free cash flow amounting to $1.7 billion for the period. During the third quarter, CF Industries repurchased 4.3 million shares worth $364 million and also announced the completion of $3 billion share repurchase program authorized in 2022.

For the first nine months of the fiscal year, CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) reported its gross ammonia production of 7.6 million tons, compared with 7.2 million tons in the same period last year. For FY25, the company expects gross ammonia production to be approximately 10 million tons.

CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) is a manufacturer and distributor of hydrogen and nitrogen products for clean energy, fertilizers, and other industrial applications.

12. Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:FANG)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 42

5-Year Revenue Growth: 36.06%

Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:FANG) is among the best American stocks to invest in.

On November 20, Morgan Stanley analyst Devin McDermott trimmed the firm’s price target on Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:FANG) to $183 from $184, while maintaining an Overweight rating on the shares. The update is part of the firm’s coverage of Energy stocks in North America, based on new guidance for 2025 and the early 2026 outlook. Morgan Stanley still has a preference for gas over oil stocks.

Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:FANG) benefits a lot in comparison to its peers because of its low-cost production. The company’s oil production comes at a lower cost in the US, especially in the Permian Basin. This way, Diamondback steers clear of geopolitical risks that affect many other producers. This has enabled the company to generate free cash flow that was 15% higher per share, despite oil prices being down 14%. This also allows the company to have a low reinvestment rate, preserving more cash flow to return to shareholders.

In its recent earnings report, Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:FANG) highlighted that it is close to its $1.5 billion net debt target, and as a result, it expects to return nearly all of its available cash to shareholders. The major preference, however, is the consistent allocation of base and variable dividends, but the company also sees an opportunity in buying back shares, given the market conditions.

Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:FANG) is a Texas-based independent oil and natural gas company.