5 Best Dividend Leaders to Buy According to Analysts

In this article, we discuss 5 best dividend leaders to buy according to analysts. If you want to read our detailed analysis of dividend stocks and their performance over the years, go directly to read 10 Best Dividend Leaders to Buy According to Analysts. 

5. Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 79
Upside Potential as of April 4: 15.5%

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) is next on our list our list of the best dividend leaders to buy according to analysts. The American multinational biotech company pays a quarterly dividend of $0.42 per share and has a dividend yield of 6.30%, as of April 4. The company has been rewarding its shareholders with growing dividends for the past 14 years.

At the end of December 2023, 79 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey held stakes in Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE), up from 73 in the preceding quarter. The total value of these stakes is over $2.2 billion.

4. Bank OZK (NASDAQ:OZK)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 27
Upside Potential as of April 4: 16.77%

Bank OZK (NASDAQ:OZK) is an Arkansas-based bank holding company that offers various traditional and latest banking products and services to its consumers. The company has become a dividend leader as it has been growing its dividends for the past 55 quarters. It currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.39 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.53%, as of April 6.

Insider Monkey’s database of Q4 2023 showed that 27 hedge funds, up from 24 in the previous quarter, held stakes in Bank OZK (NASDAQ:OZK). These stakes have a total value of nearly $205 million.

3. 3M Company (NYSE:MMM)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 62
Upside Potential as of April 4: 20.7%

3M Company (NYSE:MMM) is an American multinational conglomerate company that operates in various sectors, including healthcare, industry, electronics, and consumer goods. The company has been growing its dividends for the past 66 years and currently offers a quarterly dividend of $1.51 per share. As of April 4, the stock has a dividend yield of 6.67%.

Of the 933 hedge funds in Insider Monkey’s database at the end of Q4 2023, 62 funds held stakes in 3M Company (NYSE:MMM), growing from 54 in the preceding quarter. These stakes are valued at over $1.75 billion in total. With over 2.6 million shares, Balyasny Asset Management was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q4.

2. Columbia Banking System, Inc. (NASDAQ:COLB)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 27
Upside Potential as of April 4: 24.2%

Columbia Banking System, Inc. (NASDAQ:COLB) is a regional banking company that offers services, including personal and business checking, savings accounts, loans, and mortgages. On February 2, the company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.36 per share, which was in line with its previous dividend. Overall, it has been making regular dividend payments to shareholders for the past 20 years. As of April 4, the stock has a dividend yield of 7.81%.

Columbia Banking System, Inc. (NASDAQ:COLB) generated over $519 million in revenues in the fourth quarter of 2023, up 52.5% from the same period last year. As of December 31, the company had over $2.2 billion available in cash and cash equivalents, and its total assets for the period amounted to over $52.2 billion.

At the end of Q4 2023, 27 hedge funds in Insider Monkey’s database reported having stakes in Columbia Banking System, Inc. (NASDAQ:COLB), growing from 22 in the previous quarter. The consolidated value of these stakes is over $404 million. With over 3.4 million shares, Citadel Investment Group was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q4.

1. Webster Financial Corporation (NYSE:WBS)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 41
Upside Potential as of April 4: 24.7%

Webster Financial Corporation (NYSE:WBS) is next on our list of the best dividend leaders to buy according to analysts. The company currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.40 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.33%, as recorded on April 4.

Webster Financial Corporation (NYSE:WBS) remained popular among elite funds at the end of Q4 2023, as the hedge fund positions in the company jumped to 41, from 33 in the previous quarter, as per Insider Monkey’s database. The stakes owned by these hedge funds have a total value of roughly $900 million.

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