In this article, we will take a look at the 15 Best Dividend Leaders to Buy Right Now.
According to a report by CNBC on March 13, dividend-paying companies are beginning to close the earnings growth gap with technology stocks. These companies are also contributing a larger share of earnings momentum within the S&P 500.
After a strong improvement over the past year in this key earnings metric, the trend suggests dividend stocks may offer a stronger case for investors looking for income and stability in a volatile market. This broadening of earnings momentum beyond the technology sector is taking place at a time when investors are trying to manage risk. The market is facing uncertainty linked to a second military conflict in the Middle East within a year, along with a shock to the oil markets that many view as unprecedented.
In the first quarter of 2025, the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index reported earnings growth of negative 5.5%. By the fourth quarter of last year, that growth rate had recovered to a positive 9%.Over the same period, the Nasdaq 100 Index saw its earnings growth slow. It declined from more than 35% in the second quarter of 2025 to below 15% by the fourth quarter.
Simeon Hyman, global investment strategist at ProShares, said during this week’s CNBC “ETF Edge” podcast that the shift away from the Mag 7 technology stocks had already started well before the war. He suggested that the trend deserves closer attention from investors during a period of market uncertainty.
Given this, we will take a look at some of the best dividend leaders to invest in.
Photo by lucas Favre on Unsplash
Our Methodology:
For this list, we scanned holdings of First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund (FDL), which tracks the performance of the 100 highest-yielding stocks with consistent growth in dividends and can maintain their dividends in the future. From this list, we further refined our selection criteria by picking stocks across a range of different industries. We limited our final selection to companies that have recently reported noteworthy developments likely to impact investor sentiment.
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 498.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 303 percentage points (see more details here).
15. Lazard, Inc. (NYSE:LAZ)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 28
On March 10, Lazard, Inc. (NYSE:LAZ) reported that its preliminary assets under management stood at about $277.7 billion as of February 28, 2026. The total included $8.9 billion in market appreciation during the month. Net inflows added another $4.2 billion. Currency movements had the opposite effect, with FX depreciation reducing AUM by $0.8 billion. The figure also reflected a $1.5 billion decline tied to the sale of the firm’s stake in the Edgewater Funds management vehicles.
Earlier in February, the company said it had sold its stake in the Edgewater Funds management vehicles. The move is part of Lazard’s broader effort to simplify its operations and bring its activities in line with its long-term growth strategy, Lazard 2030.
Lazard, Inc. (NYSE:LAZ) operates as a global financial advisory and asset management firm. The company has offices across North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. Lazard advises clients on mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and capital solutions, restructuring and liability management, geopolitics, and other strategic matters.
14. Sonoco Products Company (NYSE:SON)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 31
On March 6, Sonoco Products Company (NYSE:SON) said it will implement a $70 per ton price increase for all grades of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) in the United States and Canada. The change will apply to shipments beginning April 3, 2026.
Taylor Lane, Vice President and General Manager, Industrial Paper Packaging North America, said the decision reflects changes in the market. He made the following comment:
“The price change is necessitated by tightening market conditions, increased mill utilization rates, and inflationary input costs. We will continue to service our customers with the highest levels of quality and reliability that they are accustomed to when working with Sonoco.”
The company also plans to raise prices for all converted paperboard products by 8%. The increase will take effect for shipments on and after April 15, 2026. These products include paperboard tubes, cores, cones, partitions, protective packaging, and other specialty products.
Sonoco Products Company (NYSE:SON) is a global company focused on value-added, sustainable metal and paper consumer and industrial packaging. In 2025, the company reported net sales of $7.5 billion from continuing operations. Sonoco employs about 22,000 people across 265 operations in 37 countries and serves many well-known brands around the world.
