We recently published a list of S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats List: Sorted By Hedge Fund Sentiment. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) stands against the other S&P 500 dividend aristocrats.

The appeal of dividend growth growth stocks is unmatched. For those considering investing in dividend stocks, growth typically outweighs yield due to the consistent returns they have delivered over the years. Within dividend growth strategies, the dividend aristocrats stand out. Of the approximately 6,000 stocks listed on the NYSE and NASDAQ, only 67 companies earn the title of dividend aristocrats. These companies have consistently increased their dividend payouts for a minimum of 25 consecutive years. They are part of the broader market and are tracked by the Dividend Aristocrat Index.

Also read: 10 Best Dividend-Paying Stocks Under $50

Companies that regularly increase their dividends typically show strong financial health and stability, indicating their consistent profitability. A report by Fortune highlighted that, although it has lagged behind its benchmark, the Dividend Aristocrat Index has surpassed nearly all US active managers over the past decade. Rupert Watts, the head of factors and dividend indices at S&P Dow Jones Indices, discussed dividend growth strategies with the global media organization. Here is what the analyst said:

“Raising your dividend for 25 plus years is no easy feat. These are high-quality companies.”

Dividend aristocrats have delivered impressive returns, surpassing other asset classes. Since the index’s inception in 2005 through September 2023, the dividend aristocrats index has provided a total return of 10.35%, outpacing the broader market’s return of 9.54% for the same period. These stocks are celebrated not only for their dividend growth and steady equity gains but also for their lower volatility. During this timeframe, dividend aristocrats exhibited a volatility level of 15.35%, compared to the market’s slightly higher 16.31%. This indicates that dividend aristocrats tend to have more stable price movements. Their consistent dividend increases over 25 years or more demonstrate their ability to reward shareholders even during tough times, such as the 2007 financial crisis and the 2020 pandemic.

The debate between high yields and dividend growth continues. As of August 19, the High Dividend ETF, which tracks high-yielding companies in the broader market, offers a dividend yield of 4.18%. This yield would have been quite attractive to investors in the past. However, this year the ETF has only returned 4.8%, compared to the market’s 18% return. According to FactSet, investors have withdrawn over $1.1 billion from the fund, which is more than 15% of its $6 billion in assets. This indicates that investors tend to prefer dividend growth over high yields, as high yields are often seen as a sign of financial difficulties. In this article, we will take a look at some of the best dividend aristocrat stocks according to hedge funds.

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 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points. (see more details here).

Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 95

Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) is an American retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets, discount stores, and grocery stores in the US. The stock is outperforming the broader market this year, delivering a 38% return to shareholders. This is due to a growing number of customers frequenting its stores and making greater use of its online shopping platforms. In its fiscal Q2 2025 earnings, the company reported a higher e-commerce penetration across all segments. Its global e-commerce sales grew by 21% on a YoY basis. Its consolidated revenues for the quarter came in at $168 billion, up 4.8% from the same period last year.

From a dividend point of view, Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) is a reliable choice because of its strong balance sheet. The company ended the quarter with $8.8 billion available in cash and cash equivalents. It generated an operating cash flow of $16.4 billion and its free cash flow came in at $5.9 billion. Year-to-date, the company repurchased 33.4 million shares, worth $2.1 billion. The company pays a quarterly dividend of $0.2075 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.13%, as of August 19. WMT tops our list of the best dividend aristocrat stocks as the company has raised its payouts for 51 years in a row.

Insider Monkey’s database of Q2 2024 showed that 95 hedge funds held stakes in Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT), up significantly from 88 in the previous quarter. These stakes have a total value of nearly $9.2 billion. With over 45.5 million shares, Fisher Asset Management was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q2.

Overall WMT ranks 1st on our list of S&P 500 dividend aristocrats. While we acknowledge the potential of WMT as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some deeply undervalued dividend stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for a deeply undervalued dividend stock that is more promising than WMT but that trades at less than 7 times its earnings and yields nearly 10%, check out our report about the dirt cheap dividend stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.