We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best European Dividend Stocks To Buy. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) stands against the other European dividend stocks.

Dividend payouts for MSCI Europe companies hit a record €407 billion in 2023, and they are set to grow even more in 2024, with an expected increase to €433 billion, up about 6.5%. According to Allianz Global Investors, the total dividend payout is expected to reach €460 billion by 2025, marking a 13% rise from 2023. The dividend yield is also climbing. It stood at 3.47% at the end of 2023 and could go up to 3.67% in 2024. This is still well above the yield on long-term German government bonds, even after bond yields shot up in 2022. German companies in the MSCI index paid out a 3.3% dividend in 2023, with a projected rise to 3.53% in 2024. Meanwhile, companies from Norway, though still at the top, are expected to see a slight decline in their yield, from 7.2% in 2023 to 6.4% in 2024.

Dividends have had a huge impact on overall equity performance in Europe. Over the last 40 years, about 36% of MSCI Europe’s total return has come from dividends. From 2019 to 2023, dividends made up almost half of the overall return, and from 2014 to 2018, they were responsible for most of it. On top of that, dividend-paying companies tend to have less volatile stock prices compared to those that don’t pay dividends.

Also Read: 10 Dividend Stocks For Steady Income and 10 Best Bank Stocks With High Dividends.

Global dividends hit a record $1.66 trillion in 2023, and they’re expected to reach $1.72 trillion in 2024, according to Janus Henderson. Dividend growth in 2023 was up 5%, with a 7.2% rise in Q4 alone. Banks were a major driver of this growth, delivering record payouts and benefiting from higher interest rates that boosted their margins. Although miners slowed down the overall growth, other industries like vehicles, utilities, software, food, and engineering showed strong performance, highlighting the value of having a diversified portfolio. Twenty-two countries saw record dividend payouts, with Europe (excluding the UK) and Japan playing a key role. The UK saw a 5.4% rise in dividends, and France, Germany, and Italy also set new records.

S&P Global Market Intelligence forecasted that Europe’s dividend payouts would hit €474 billion in 2024, which is a slight dip of 0.8% compared to last year. However, excluding special payments, ordinary dividends should rise by 4%, reaching a new high of €463 billion. Banks are leading the charge, making up 15% of the total dividend payouts, followed by capital goods and energy, both at 9%. The materials sector is set to see a 16% decrease in dividends, but it will still contribute about 6%, the same as utilities and food, beverage, and tobacco. The banking, capital goods, and pharmaceutical sectors are likely to see double-digit increases in their dividends, with banking staying strong at the top. On the flip side, the transportation sector might experience a steep 49% drop. That said, factors like geopolitical tensions and stubborn inflation might pose some risks for dividends in 2025.

Our Methodology 

For this article, we used the Finviz stock screener to filter out European dividend stocks. We focused on picking stocks with a consistent record of paying dividends, offering dividend growth, and being financially stable to steer clear of yield traps. The list below is ranked in the ascending order of dividend yield as of December 20. We have also mentioned the number of hedge fund holders in each firm, which was sourced from Insider Monkey’s Q3 2024 database.

At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with 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)

Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS)

Dividend Yield as of December 20: 3.85%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 24

Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) is a global leader in healthcare, involved in developing, manufacturing, and marketing prescription medications. Novartis covers a wide range of therapeutic areas such as oncology, immunology, cardiovascular, and ophthalmology, with key treatments like Pluvicto for prostate cancer and Lutathera for neuroendocrine tumors. The company is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland.

Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) reported strong Q3 results, continuing two years of consistent growth. Sales increased by 10%, core operating income rose 20% in constant currency, and core margins reached 40.1%, prompting the company to raise its annual guidance for the third time. Key innovations included Kisqali’s FDA approval and CHMP positive opinion for early breast cancer, Fabhalta’s accelerated approval for IgA nephropathy, and promising developments for Pluvicto and Scemblix. Product highlights showed robust growth: Entresto’s sales climbed 26% globally, Cosentyx grew 28% with significant momentum in new indications, Kesimpta expanded by 56% (adjusted), and Kisqali’s U.S. sales surged 50%, supported by a Category 1 NCCN recommendation.

Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS)’s strategic moves included investments in research and development, artificial intelligence, and pipeline expansions, alongside shareholder returns through dividends and a $15 billion buyback plan, which will conclude by the end of 2025. Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) continues to demonstrate strong financial performance, innovation, and market leadership, making it one of the best European stocks to consider.

Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) stands out as a reliable choice for dividend-focused investors, offering a steady yield that has consistently grown over the years. Even though sales growth has been slow, the company is still super profitable and has been growing its dividends by an average of 4.26% annually, beating inflation. With its focus on innovation, strong finances, and undervalued stock price compared to competitors, Novartis is a smart choice long-term investment, with steady income and room for growth.

Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS)’s shares were held by 24 Wall Street funds at the end of the third quarter, compared to 30 funds in the preceding quarter. Jim Simons’ Renaissance Technologies is the leading stakeholder of the company, with 2.3 million shares worth $264.6 million.

Overall NVS ranks 6th on our list of the best European dividend stocks to buy. While we acknowledge the potential of NVS as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that certain 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 NVS but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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