We recently compiled a list of the 10 Dividend Knights that Beat The Market Last 3 Years. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) stands against the other dividend stocks that beat the market in the last 3 years.

The broader market has been performing strongly this year, rising by nearly 30% since the beginning of 2024. According to Morningstar Direct, the S&P 500’s return has exceeded this level in only 17 of the past 74 years. For instance, in 1954, the index saw a gain of over 52%, and in 1989, it increased by about 31%. However, analysts caution investors to manage their expectations, as years with such exceptional returns are uncommon. Cathy Curtis, a certified financial planner and the founder and CEO of Curtis Financial Planning made the following comment about the market’s performance this year in one of her recent interviews with CNBC:

“Investors should know that the stock market has an average annualized return of over 10% for decades. The past year has seen growth way over this amount and it would be highly unusual for that to continue for a multi-year timeframe.”

Regardless of where the market ends up, dividend stocks have strong potential, as demonstrated over the years. During past periods of inflation, dividend stocks performed better compared to other asset classes. Since the 1940s, dividends have accounted for 40% of the market, with this share increasing during times of higher inflation, according to Hartford Funds. The report also highlighted the performance of dividend stocks in the 1970s, when they made up 73% of the market’s returns. Additional studies, including one from Fidelity International, showed that dividends typically grow faster than inflation. Fidelity’s research indicated that since 1900, the 10-year annual average growth of dividends in the market has outpaced CPI growth nearly 73% of the time.

In addition to their considerable impact on overall market returns, dividend stocks provide investors with a way to mitigate risks linked to market volatility. According to DWS Group, over the past 20 years, the monthly volatility of dividend returns was just 0.10%, compared to 3.75% for price returns. The report also noted that despite market fluctuations, investors have seen positive overall returns during this period. While riskier factors played a significant role in these returns, it was the dividend stream that proved to be a more stable and safer option amid the uncertainties of the stock market.

Also read: 10 Best Consistent Dividend Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Although dividend stocks have recently lagged behind the broader market, they remain a popular investment choice due to their strong long-term returns. The Dividend Aristocrats Index has grown by just nearly 11% this year, but the outlook for dividend growth among US companies is promising. According to Howard Silverblatt, Senior Index Analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices, large-cap stocks outperformed many others in the first three quarters of 2024, driven by record earnings and an anticipated record dividend payout for the year. He further added that the market’s large caps are expected to see a 6% increase in dividend payments for 2024, compared with 5.1% in 2023 and 10.8% in 2022.

When it comes to dividend investing, investors often prefer companies with a strong track record of dividend growth and solid returns as they help prepare for challenging market conditions. Additionally, investors focus on a company’s ability to generate cash flow and maintain a strong balance sheet, as these factors support the sustainability of future dividend payouts. In view of this, we will take a look at some of the best dividend knights that have outperformed the market in the last three years.

Our Methodology:

For this list, we used a stock screener and selected dividend companies that have outperformed the market in the past three years. These companies also have strong dividend growth track records under their belt. We also considered hedge fund sentiment around each stock using Insider Monkey’s data for Q3 2024. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of their three-year returns.

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).

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY)

3-Year Share Price Gains as of  December 4: 234.2%

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) is an Indiana-based pharmaceutical company that manufactures and develops a wide range of medicines for serious ailments. The company received positive news regarding its weight loss programs, as President Joe Biden recently proposed extending Medicare and Medicaid coverage to this category of medications. If approved, the measure would make these treatments available to millions of additional patients, potentially driving a significant boost in sales. While the proposal’s outcome is uncertain, the market remains optimistic about the potential benefits for Eli Lilly. The stock has surged by nearly 40% since the start of 2024.

In fiscal Q4 2024, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) reported revenue of $11.4 billion, which showed a 20.5% growth from the same period last year. The company showed impressive growth of Mounjaro and Zepbound, alongside a notable 17% increase in non-incretin revenue. This growth, which includes contributions from its oncology, immunology, and neuroscience portfolios, was achieved compared to the same period in Q3 2023. Aristotle Atlantic Partners, LLC made the following comment about LLY in its Q3 2024 investor letter.

“Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) is a leading pharmaceutical company that develops diabetes, oncology, immunology and neuroscience medicines. The company generates over half of its revenue in the U.S. from its leading drugs Trulicity, Verzenio and Taltz. The company operates in a single business segment: human pharmaceutical products.

Eli Lilly has a deep pipeline in treatment areas focused on metabolic disorders, oncology, immunology and central nervous system disorders. Currently, there are two phase-three assets: orforglipron, an oral GLP-1, and retatrutide, a triple incretin agonist, which could possibly expand upon the potential success of Mounjaro. We believe that Mounjaro has the potential to commercialize beyond Type 2 diabetes and obesity, potentially in the areas mentioned above of heart disease, sleep apnea, fatty liver disease and chronic kidney disease. We believe the premium valuation is supported by this outsized growth profile.”

On October 28,  Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) declared a quarterly dividend of $1.30 per share, which was in line with its previous dividend. Overall, the company has been growing its dividends for ten consecutive years, which makes it one of the best dividend knights. The stock supports a dividend yield of 0.63%, as of December 5.

The number of hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey owning stakes in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) grew to 106 in Q3 2024, from 100 in the previous quarter. The consolidated value of these stakes is more than $18.5 billion. Ken Fisher’s Fisher Asset Management was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q3.

Overall LLY ranks 1st on our list of the best dividend knights that beat the market in the last 3 years. While we acknowledge the potential for LLY as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than LLY but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. 

READ NEXT: 8 Best Wide Moat Stocks to Buy Now and 30 Most Important AI Stocks According to BlackRock.

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