In this article, we will take a look at the Billionaire Mario Gabelli’s Top 12 Dividend Stocks.
GAMCO Investors is a diversified asset management and financial services company. It provides investment services through its subsidiary, GAMCO Asset Management. The unit manages separate accounts for high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and qualified pension plans. The company also advises a family of mutual funds.
Mario J. Gabelli serves as the firm’s Chairman. He founded Gabelli with a simple goal of using detailed research to find investment opportunities and deliver strong returns. His value investing approach continues to shape the firm’s strategy. Over the years, it has helped establish Gabelli as a respected name in the investment industry.
Dividend investing is also a key part of the firm’s approach. The Gabelli Dividend Growth Fund focuses on companies that pay dividends and have the ability to raise those payouts over time.
In its first-quarter 2026 report, the fund said that, as of March 31, it had returned $2.3 billion to shareholders since its IPO. The report noted that $1.0 billion came from the spin-offs of Associated Capital Group and Teton Advisors. Another $637 million was returned through the company’s stock buyback program, while $655 million came from dividends. The fund also reported contributing $82 million to charitable causes.
Given this, we will take a look at the top dividend stocks according to Mario Gabelli.
Mario Gabelli of GAMCO Investors
Our Methodology:
For this article, we screened for dividend companies in GAMCO Investors’ 13F portfolio as of Q1 2026. From there, we picked 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. Insider Monkey’s quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 599.2% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 372 percentage points (see more details here).
12. Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LECO)
GAMCO Investors’ Stake Value: $22,292,660
Dividend Yield as of June 23: 1.17%
On June 16, DA Davidson initiated coverage of Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LECO) with a Buy rating. It also set a $320 price target on the stock. Analyst Chris Dankert said the company is well-positioned to benefit from long-term industry trends, including reshoring, an aging technical workforce, and growing Industry 4.0 investments. More than 20% of Lincoln Electric’s sales come from automation solutions, which the firm views as a key advantage. DA Davidson also pointed to the company’s strong free cash flow generation and disciplined capital deployment. The firm believes these factors could support earnings growth, while improving business momentum may lead to a higher valuation multiple.
During the company’s Q1 2026 earnings call, President, CEO, and Chairman Steven Hedlund said a 10% price increase was not enough to fully offset inflation during the quarter. He noted that Lincoln Electric had already announced additional pricing actions across its welding segments, with those increases set to take effect in early May.
Hedlund also said cash flow, which is typically lower in the first quarter because of seasonal patterns, was further affected by a temporary increase in inventory. According to him, higher inventory levels were tied to efforts to maintain service levels under the Spotlight initiative and ongoing product migrations. Despite these headwinds, the company delivered a return on invested capital of 21.5%, which he said remained within top-quartile performance levels.
Executive Vice President, CFO, and Treasurer Gabriel Bruno reported that first-quarter sales increased about 12% year over year to $1.121 billion. He also noted that gross profit margin fell by 80 basis points to 35.6%, mainly because pricing and cost dynamics created an unfavorable impact of 90 basis points during the quarter.
Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:LECO) operates in welding, cutting, brazing, machining, process automation, and field repair. The company conducts business through its Americas Welding, International Welding, and Harris Products Group segments.
11. The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE:SMG)
GAMCO Investors’ Stake Value: $26,368,432
Dividend Yield as of June 23: 4.16%
On June 8, Stifel lowered its price recommendation on The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE:SMG) to $75 from $76. It reiterated a Buy rating on the shares. The firm revised its FY2026-FY2028 estimates following the company’s update last week. Scotts reaffirmed its FY2026 guidance, though updated branded point-of-sale data indicated that sales trends slowed in May.
On June 2, UBS reduced its price objective on SMG to $63 from $70. It kept a Neutral rating on the stock. Ahead of a conference presentation, analyst Peter Grom said the company is facing several challenges, including softer demand, unfavorable weather conditions, weaker consumer spending, and higher input costs, all of which have weighed on the shares. The firm noted that management remains focused on offsetting higher costs through pricing actions and expanding margins. Even so, UBS believes organic sales growth and gross margin improvement are increasingly likely to come in toward the lower end of the company’s guidance range. Despite these pressures, the firm said Scotts’ current FY2026 targets still appear achievable.
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE:SMG) manufactures, markets, and sells products for lawn and garden care, as well as indoor and hydroponic gardening.
10. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)
GAMCO Investors’ Stake Value: $30,664,684
Dividend Yield as of June 23: 0.37%
On June 22, BofA maintained its Buy rating on Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). It also reiterated a $380 price target on the shares. The firm believes Apple’s WWDC announcement marks “a material positive reset of its AI strategy,” a development it says is being “underappreciated.”According to the analyst, the repositioning of Siri as a context-aware, multimodal, cross-app assistant integrated throughout the Apple ecosystem is “strategically important.” The firm noted that Siri AI can take advantage of Apple’s unique access to device context, app functionality, screen activity, and private user data in ways that generic AI assistants may find difficult to match.
In other news, Reuters reported on June 18 that Apple has agreed to work with Intel to design and manufacture its chips in the United States, according to President Donald Trump. If completed, the partnership would represent a significant step forward for Intel as it works to strengthen its manufacturing business.
An agreement with Apple would provide Intel with steady demand from one of the world’s largest consumer electronics companies. It could also help improve Intel’s standing in the contract chip manufacturing market as it seeks to narrow the gap with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the industry’s largest contract chipmaker.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) designs, manufactures, and markets consumer electronics, software, and online services. Its best-known products include the iPhone, Mac, and iPad. The company generates revenue through hardware sales, digital content distribution, subscription services, and accessories.
9. KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR)
GAMCO Investors’ Stake Value: $33,630,225
Dividend Yield as of June 23: 0.83%
On June 18, Reuters reported that KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR) disclosed a new $1.4 billion investment in aircraft leasing through its partnership with Altavair. The move comes as ongoing production delays at Airbus and Boeing continue to limit aircraft availability across the industry.
Aircraft leasing companies and private equity firms have taken on a larger role in financing aircraft purchases. Airlines are dealing with higher costs, recovering travel demand, and a shortage of available planes, making leasing an increasingly important option.
Airlines now lease roughly half of the global aircraft fleet rather than owning the planes outright. KKR has invested more than $12 billion in the aviation sector since 2015. Altavair specializes in acquiring new and used commercial aircraft and leasing them to passenger and cargo airlines worldwide. According to a person familiar with the transaction, most of the newly committed capital remains available and is expected to be deployed over the next four years.KKR plans to acquire aircraft directly from airlines looking to free up cash, as well as from manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing, and through secondary market transactions.
These transactions often involve purchasing aircraft and leasing them back to airlines under multi-year agreements. This allows carriers to generate cash while continuing to operate their existing fleets.
KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR) is a global investment firm that provides alternative asset management, capital markets, and insurance solutions. The company operates through its Asset Management, Insurance, and Strategic Holdings segments.
8. Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN)
GAMCO Investors’ Stake Value: $37,797,892
Dividend Yield as of June 23: 2.29%
On June 17, Keefe Bruyette raised its price recommendation on Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN) to $86 from $85. It reiterated an Underperform rating on the stock. Analyst Jade Rahmani said in a research note that Lennar’s earnings outlook remains pressured by land banking costs, which continue to weigh on margins.
On June 16, JPMorgan lowered its price goal on LEN to $77 from $80. It kept an Underweight rating on the shares. In a research note, the analyst said the company reduced its fiscal 2026 closings guidance after a weaker-than-expected spring selling season. Following the earnings report, the firm also lowered its estimates for Lennar.
Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN) is a homebuilder and a provider of residential and commercial mortgage loans. The company also offers title insurance and closing services and develops multifamily rental properties.
7. Dana Incorporated (NYSE:DAN)
GAMCO Investors’ Stake Value: $40,753,145
Dividend Yield as of June 23: 1.67%
On June 12, Wells Fargo lowered its price recommendation on Dana Incorporated (NYSE:DAN) to $33 from $36. It reiterated an Equal Weight rating on the stock. The firm pointed to Dana’s planned merger with Eaton Mobility (NYSE), noting that the transaction will increase Dana’s exposure to the aftermarket and commercial vehicle (CV) markets. Wells Fargo also said that the company’s growth expectations and projected synergies appear ambitious.
In related news, Reuters reported on June 11 that Dana will combine with Eaton’s mobility business. The transaction values the unit at approximately $5.1 billion. The companies announced the deal as Dana seeks to benefit from resilient aftermarket demand. Under the agreement, Eaton shareholders will own at least 50.1% of the combined company, while Dana shareholders will hold about 49.9% at closing, which is expected in the first quarter of 2027. The combined company will continue operating as Dana Inc. and is expected to have an enterprise value of more than $10 billion.
Dana said the new company is expected to generate $250 million in run-rate cost synergies within 24 months of closing the transaction.
Dana Incorporated (NYSE:DAN) designs and manufactures propulsion and energy-management solutions for vehicles and machines across global mobility markets. The company provides solutions primarily for on-highway vehicles.
6. Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK)
GAMCO Investors’ Stake Value: $40,770,921
Dividend Yield as of June 23: 1.21%
On June 16, DA Davidson analyst Chris Dankert initiated coverage of Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK) with a Neutral rating. He also set a $500 price target on the stock. The analyst said the company is well-positioned to benefit from long-term industry trends and pent-up reshoring activity. Rockwell is also expected to gain from the growing adoption of autonomy and AI on the factory floor. At the same time, DA Davidson noted that the stock already reflects expectations for positive estimate revisions. The firm added that Rockwell’s valuation remains elevated compared with its historical levels and relative to peers.
On June 10, Bernstein initiated coverage of Rockwell Automation with a Market Perform rating. It set a $501 price target on the stock. While the firm said Rockwell is on track to meet its guidance, it also believes that “the market has largely priced in all the potential upside.” Bernstein added that its estimates are in line with the broader consensus.
Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK) focuses on industrial automation and digital transformation. The company operates through three segments: Intelligent Devices, Software & Control, and Lifecycle Services.
While we acknowledge the potential of ROK as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ROK and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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