7 Best Non-REIT Dividend Stocks to Invest in

3. Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 60

Dividend Yield as of January 31: 6.84%

Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) focuses on tobacco products for U.S. consumers aged 21 and older, with its business centered on smokeable and oral products and a long-standing emphasis on returning cash to shareholders.

On January 30, Stifel trimmed its price recommendation on Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE:MO) to $68 from $72. The firm, however, kept a Buy rating. The company reported fourth-quarter EPS of $1.30, flat from a year earlier and in line with expectations. The details told a softer story. Operating costs ran higher than expected across both the Smokable and Oral Products businesses, which weighed on underlying performance. Stifel also noted that Altria’s initial 2026 guidance lined up with consensus, with more of the earnings expected to come in the second half of the year.

On the earnings call, Altria Group, Inc. also shared its long-term goals through 2028. Management said it is targeting mid-single-digit adjusted diluted EPS growth, using a $4.871 base from 2022. From that starting point through 2025, Altria delivered a reported diluted EPS growth rate of 8.9% and an adjusted diluted EPS growth rate of 3.6%.

Dividends stayed front and center. The company said it plans to keep raising its payout at a mid-single-digit pace through 2028. Management highlighted, “In 2025, we increased our dividend by 3.9%, marking the 60th increase in the past 56 years. Future dividend payments remain subject to the discretion of our board.”