Income investors seeking equities to buy right now should consider one of more than two-dozen large-cap stocks going ex-dividend next week.
Several characteristics make large-cap stocks desirable as core portfolio building blocks. Generally stocks of older and established companies, these equities typically offer a high degree of operational and financial transparency. This transparency allows investors easy access to information for stock analysis and evaluation.
As established companies with businesses that generate relatively reliable results, these companies can establish set dividend policies that have specific payout and growth commitments over the long term. Furthermore, as large and established companies, many of the large-cap companies generally have a portfolio of diversified businesses. This strategy allows these companies to take advantage of market growth across several sectors and weather downturns in one of the several markets in which the companies operate.
Sorted in ascending order by dividend yield and for investor’s immediate consideration, below are 18 stocks with market capitalizations of more than $10 billion that go ex-dividend next week. Most of these equities have also boosted their annual dividend payout at least the last five consecutive years. Therefore, interested investors who are looking to take advantage of the upcoming dividend distributions should not delay their own analysis and due diligence.
The market capitalizations range between $10.7 billion for Quest Diagnostics, Inc. (NYSE:DGX) to the high $24 billion for Mastercard, Inc. (NYSE:MA). The average capitalization of the entire group is more than $73 billion. The dividend yields range from 0.54% (Progressive Corporation, NYSE:PGR) to 7.1% (AT&T, Inc., NYSE:T), with a 2.5% simple average yield.
Just two companies on the list below – Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB) and General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS) – have failed to boost their dividends in the past 12 months. Unfortunately, the current economic slump might push additional companies to cut or suspend their dividends. As of now, the other equities on the list below have boosted their annual dividend payouts between two and 53 consecutive years for an average current streak of more than 10 years of consecutive annual dividend hikes.
Because of the current market decline, only a third of companies on the list below – Progressive Corporation (NYSE:PGR), Mastercard, Inc. (NYSE:MA), Dollar General Corporation (NYSE:DG), Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL), Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB) and General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS) – currently still have positive total returns over the trailing 12 months. However, most of these stocks have delivered strong returns over the last three and five years and should return to offering positive return as the markets recover. Below are the 18 large-cap stocks that are going ex-dividend next week sorted in ascending order by their current dividend yield.
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #18
Progressive Corporation (NYSE:PGR)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): 6.1%, 105%, 201%
Dividend Yield: 0.54%
Market Cap: $43.22 Billion
Sector: Financials
First Dividend: 1965
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 2 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $73.84
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #17
Roper Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:ROP)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): -8.3%, 54%, 86%
Dividend Yield: 0.66%
Market Cap: $33.09 Billion
Sector: IT & Communications
First Dividend: 1992
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 6 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $311.81
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #16
Mastercard, Inc. (NYSE:MA)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): 3.2%, 118%, 186%
Dividend Yield: 0.66%
Market Cap: $240.18 Billion
Sector: Industrials
First Dividend: 2006
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 8 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $241.56
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #15
Intuit, Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): -11.2%, 103%, 145%
Dividend Yield: 0.92%
Market Cap: $59.91 Billion
Sector: Industrials
First Dividend: 2011
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 8 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $230.00
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #14
Dollar General Corporation (NYSE:DG)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): 27.7%, 122%, 108%
Dividend Yield: 0.95%
Market Cap: $38.05 Billion
Sector: Services
First Dividend: 1975
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 4 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $151.01
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #13
McCormick & Company, Inc. (NYSE:MKC)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): -5.1%, 51%, 95%
Dividend Yield: 1.76%
Market Cap: $17.45 Billion
Sector: Consumer Products
First Dividend: 1925
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 19 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $141.21
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #12
Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): -7.8%, 14%, 21%
Dividend Yield: 1.99%
Market Cap: $155.03 Billion
Sector: IT & Communications
First Dividend: 2009
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 6 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $48.33
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #11
Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): 6.7%, 42%, 77%
Dividend Yield: 1.99%
Market Cap: $25.08 Billion
Sector: Consumer Products
First Dividend: 1928
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 53 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $46.64
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #10
Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE:MMC)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): -6.0%, 24%, 68%
Dividend Yield: 2.11%
Market Cap: $43.57 Billion
Sector: Financials
First Dividend: 1923
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 10 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $86.46
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #9
Toronto Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): -24.3%, -7%, 11%
Dividend Yield: 2.37%
Market Cap: $78.10 Billion
Sector: Financials
First Dividend: 1857
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 9 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $42.39
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #8
Bank of Nova Scotia Halifax (NYSE:BNS)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): -23.0%, -22%, -3%
Dividend Yield: 2.71%
Market Cap: $48.84 Billion
Sector: Financials
First Dividend: 1834
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 9 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $40.60
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #7
Quest Diagnostics, Inc. (NYSE:DGX)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): -8.3%, -12%, 17%
Dividend Yield: 2.79%
Market Cap: $10.72 Billion
Sector: Health Care
First Dividend: 2004
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 8 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $80.30
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #6
Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): 25.7%, -11%, 14%
Dividend Yield: 3.03%
Market Cap: $13.93 Billion
Sector: Consumer Products
First Dividend: 1902
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 0 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $46.16
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #5
General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): -18.8%, -23%, 10%
Dividend Yield: 3.33%
Market Cap: $38.32 Billion
Sector: Industrials
First Dividend: 1979
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 6 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $132.31
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #4
General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): 5.8%, -1%, 10%
Dividend Yield: 3.71%
Market Cap: $31.99 Billion
Sector: Consumer Products
First Dividend: 1898
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 0 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $52.77
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #3
UDR, Inc. (NYSE:UDR)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): -16.6%, 12%, 27%
Dividend Yield: 3.94%
Market Cap: $10.77 Billion
Sector: Financials
First Dividend: 1973
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 9 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $36.54
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #2
Verizon Communications, Inc. (NYSE:VZ)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): -5.0%, 25%, 35%
Dividend Yield: 4.58%
Market Cap: $222.22 Billion
Sector: IT & Communications
First Dividend: 1984
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 15 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $53.73
Large-Cap Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week: #1
AT&T, Inc. (NYSE:T)
Total Return (1Y, 3Y, 5Y): -0.5%, -15%, 20%
Dividend Yield: 7.14%
Market Cap: $209.09 Billion
Sector: IT & Communications
First Dividend: 1881
Consecutive Annual Hikes: 15 years
April 1, 2020 Closing Price: $29.15
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Ned Piplovic is the assistant editor of website content at Eagle Financial Publications. He graduated from Columbia University with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Philosophy. Prior to joining Eagle, Ned spent 15 years in corporate operations and financial management. Ned writes for www.DividendInvestor.com and www.StockInvestor.com.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
