Top 12 Dividend Stocks to Buy According to Billionaire Cliff Asness

8. Mueller Industries, Inc. (NYSE:MLI)

AQR Capital Management’s Stake Value: $536,038,434

Dividend Yield as of June 19: 1.02%

On May 28, Northcoast downgraded Mueller Industries, Inc. (NYSE:MLI) to Neutral from Buy and did not assign a price target. The analyst said the stock’s recent strength has made the risk-reward profile more balanced.

During Mueller Industries’ first-quarter 2026 earnings call, CEO Greg Christopher said the company delivered the highest first-quarter earnings in its history. He attributed the performance to strong operational execution, effective management of raw material costs and pricing, disciplined cost controls, and the company’s diversified exposure across end markets.

Christopher also noted that strong cash generation supported Mueller’s capital allocation strategy. This included share repurchases and a 40% increase in the quarterly dividend, marking the sixth straight year of double-digit dividend growth. He added that the company completed its acquisition of Bison Metals Technologies on March 30 and welcomed its experienced leadership team. According to Christopher, the acquisition is expected to generate immediate synergies across Mueller’s North American copper tube products platform while increasing overall copper tube manufacturing capacity. Christopher said the integration process has been smooth and successful since the transaction closed.

Mueller Industries, Inc. (NYSE:MLI) is an industrial company whose businesses manufacture essential products for key markets, including air, water, oil, and gas distribution.