15 Best Dividend Stocks of 2025

2. Dollar General Corporation (NYSE:DG)

YTD Return as of the Close of June 25: 49.11%

Dollar General Corporation (NYSE:DG) is one of the best dividend stocks in 2025, surging by more than 49% since the start of the year. After experiencing several years of declining market share to competitors like Walmart and weakening profits, DG faced challenges in its stock performance. However, the company’s “Back to Basics” turnaround plan, combined with economic disruptions from the trade war, played a key role in restoring both revenue and profit growth. This recovery was reflected in a 16% single-day surge in the stock following the release of its fiscal first-quarter earnings in early June.

In the first quarter of 2025, Dollar General Corporation (NYSE:DG) reversed its profit decline trend, reporting a gross margin increase of 78 basis points to 31.0%, driven by lower shrink and higher inventory markups. On the other hand, selling, general, and administrative expenses rose by 77 basis points to 25.4%, mainly due to increased labor costs, higher incentive payouts, and spending on repairs and maintenance.

Analysts believe that Dollar General Corporation (NYSE:DG) remains well-positioned for further growth, supported by ongoing store openings and updates to current locations through its Project Elevate and Renovate initiatives. The company offers a quarterly dividend of $0.59 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.10%, as of June 26.