5 Best S&P 500 Dividend Stocks to Buy Right Now

3. The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 78

On June 12, Bernstein initiated coverage of The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) with a Market Perform rating. It set a $156 price target on the stock. The firm said the company continues to face pressure from private-label products in “more commoditized categories” such as bathroom tissue, as well as from smaller competitors in the disposable diaper market. According to the analyst, these challenges are unlikely to disappear anytime soon. Bernstein also noted that its earnings growth estimates for Procter & Gamble are below broader market expectations.

During the company’s fiscal Q3 2026 earnings call, Chief Financial Officer Andre Schulten said Procter still expected organic sales growth of up to 4% for the fiscal year. He noted that fourth-quarter organic sales growth was expected to come in slightly below the level reported in the third quarter.

Schulten also said the company’s guidance called for core EPS growth of up to 4% year over year. This represents an earnings range of $6.83 to $7.09 per share. He added that Procter & Gamble now expects an after-tax headwind of about $150 million for the fiscal year. The impact is tied to commodity cost inflation, feedstock exposure, and logistics disruptions related to the conflict in the Middle East. Given those pressures, Schulten indicated that full-year EPS is now expected to fall toward the lower end of the company’s guidance range.

The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) manufactures and sells branded consumer packaged goods around the world. Its operations are organized across five segments: Beauty, Grooming, Health Care, Fabric & Home Care, and Baby, Feminine & Family Care.