In this article, we will take a look at the 15 Dividend Stocks to Buy for Steady Income.
Equity income is getting harder to find. The Morningstar US Market Index had a dividend yield of under 1.2% in the first quarter of 2026. By historical standards, that is quite low. Yields are slightly better outside the US, but not by much. The Morningstar Global Markets ex-US Index offered a 2.6% yield, which still feels limited for income-focused investors.
There are a few reasons behind this. Stock prices have risen sharply in recent years, while dividend payments have not kept pace. In the US, especially, companies have leaned more toward share buybacks instead of increasing cash payouts. At the same time, more capital is being directed toward artificial intelligence investments. That shift has changed how companies prioritize their spending.
There has also been a rebound in sectors like industrials, energy, and consumer defensives. That has supported total returns, though it has had the side effect of keeping yields lower. Outside the U.S., dividend-paying stocks have outperformed the broader market for some time. A report from Morningstar noted that around 1,500 companies globally are under analyst coverage and assigned moat ratings.
Companies with wide moats tend to sustain profitability more consistently than those with narrow moats, and both generally hold up better than companies with no moat. The same pattern shows up in dividends. Firms with wide moats have historically cut dividends less often, while companies without moats tend to reduce payouts more frequently.
Given this, we will take a look at some of the best stocks with steady income.
Our Methodology:
For this list, we screened for strong dividend companies that have raised their dividends for at least 10 consecutive years and have yields above 0.5%, as of March 19. We then 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. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)
Dividend Yield as of March 19: 0.75%
On March 19, RBC Capital said the overall tolerability and A1C reductions for Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)’s retatrutide in the TRANSCEND-T2D-1 study came in worse than Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes patients. At the same time, weight loss and discontinuation rates leaned in favor of retatrutide.
The analyst described the drug as a “viable option” for patients where weight reduction is the main treatment goal. In practice, that trade-off matters. Some patients prioritize weight loss over strict A1C improvement, and this data speaks directly to that group. RBC sees retatrutide as a “key pillar” in Lilly’s growth and margin expansion story. It expects the drug to carry a premium price, given its likely use in more severe cases. The firm models a launch in 2027. It projects 2030 sales at $4.9B, which sits below the consensus estimate of $5.4 billion. RBC maintains an Outperform rating on the stock, with a $1,250 price target.
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) develops, manufactures, discovers, and sells pharmaceutical products. These products span oncology, diabetes, immunology, neuroscience, and other therapies.
14. S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI)
Dividend Yield as of March 19: 0.91%
On March 17, BMO Capital analyst Jeffrey Silber raised the price recommendation on S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) to $495 from $482. It reiterated an Outperform rating on the shares. He pointed to stronger issuance trends. February billed issuance rose 22% year over year, a sharp step up from January’s 3% y/y increase, as noted in the research report. That shift stands out. A move from low single-digit growth to over 20% in a month suggests momentum is building.
On March 18, S&P Global announced the completion of its acquisition of Enertel AI Corporation. The firm focuses on AI and machine learning-driven short-term power price forecasting across North American electricity markets. These capabilities will be integrated into S&P Global’s Energy division. The business already provides long-term power market intelligence, including benchmarks, historical pricing, and strategic forecasts.
With Enertel AI Corporation now part of the platform, the offering expands into real-time insights. It adds AI-powered nodal price forecasts and decision tools used by physical power traders, utilities, and asset operators managing an increasingly complex grid. The result is a more complete view of the power market, covering both long-term outlooks and next-day pricing signals.
S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) provides essential intelligence through five segments: Market Intelligence, Ratings, Commodity Insights, Mobility, and Indices.
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