The Six Best U.S. Dividend Stocks

In previous installments of this series (Part I, II, III, and IV), I screened the Dividend Champions list of companies that have paid higher dividends for at least 25 straight years (which can be found here) starting with companies whose latest increase was by 10% or more (in June), those with the highest yields (in July), those with the lowest prices (in August) and those with the most desirable 5- and 10-year Dividend Growth Rates and A/D (Acceleration/Deceleration) ratios (in September). Since I have added fundamental data to the listing that was posted on September 30, it's only natural that I use that as a starting point for this month's Smackdown. (As always, it's also important to screen for other positive qualities before choosing any investment.)

And the Winner is...
...subjective. All of these companies have attractive properties, but the ultimate winner will depend on what is most important to each investor. Procter & Gamble (PG) has the highest expected earnings growth next year, followed closely by AFLAC (AFL), Wal-Mart (WMT), and Valspar (VAL). But it also had the highest payout ratio, followed closely by Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), which had the highest yield. Medtronic (MDT) had the lowest P/E and payout ratio, and is the only one of these companies that is more than 10% below its 52-week high (not shown above) at 28% below that peak. Valspar is the only mid-cap, with a market value of just $3.14 billion, whereas Procter & Gamble, Wal-Mart, and Johnson & Johnson are each worth more than $100 billion. All six finalists are deserving of further study for possible purchase.

Source: SeekingAlpha

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