- The Dividend Aristocrats are companies of the S&P 500 that have paid steadily increasing dividends for at least 25 years have outperformed the broader market over time, like in 2018.
- This article lists the current Dividend Aristocrat constituents and their recent returns
- By showing the recent performance of the Dividend Aristocrats, some active dividend growth investors may be able to identify relative bargains.
- The top-10 dividend Aristocrats by current dividend yield are also listed.
- The Dividend Aristocrats posted a -13.66% return in March 2020.
US equities struggled in the face of a global sell-off due to the corona-virus. The S&P 500 fell 12% in March to complete a 20% drop this quarter, the worst monthly and quarterly performance since 2008. Especially the Financials contributed to this sharp decline in the first quarter.
The Dividend Aristocrats posted a -13.66% return in March 2020 and are down -23.29% year-to-date, which is an underperformance compared to its benchmark.
Dividend Aristocrats performance March 2020
The table below lists all 64 constituents, including the 7 new aristocrats added in 2020, sorted by indicated dividend yield and lists returns over trailing last month, 3-, 6-, and 12-month periods.
Only 3 dividend aristocrats posted positive returns in March, which are Walmart, Hormel Foods and Clorox. Healthcare and Consumer Defensive are the best performing sectors and often the best place to be during a recession.
Dividends and Dividend Yield
Next to dividend growth investing, a high yield dividend could also be an approach. The table below lists the top-10 Dividend Aristocrats sorted descending by the current dividend yield (end of March 2020).
The above-presented performance data of the Dividend Aristocrats could assist active dividend growth investors to find some bargains for the long run. Interested in the latest data and also dividend growth rates, check our dividend aristocrats dashboard.
Other Sources of Dividend Investment Ideas
The Dividend Aristocrats list is not the only way to quickly screen for businesses that regularly pay rising dividends.
- The Dividend Kings List is even more exclusive than the Dividend Aristocrats. It is comprised of less than 20 businesses with 50+ years of consecutive dividend increases.
- The MoneyInvestExpert Defensive Aristocrats is a performance-based top-10 selection of the Dividend Aristocrats to outperform the market on the long-term.
- Portfolio lists like the Berkshire Hathaway Portfolio or Bill Gates’stock portfolio can be a source.
- For the European focused investors there is also the list of European Dividend Aristocrats.
- Dividend Champions are not necessarily members of the S&P 500 index, have increased their dividend for 25 or more consecutive years.
- 100+ years of dividend, the list of stocks that pay over 100 year of dividend can be an list of inspiration.
Next to selecting the right dividend stocks, important principles for successful long-term investing are Disciple, Diversification, Defensive & indeed Dividend. Read more about this in our free e-book.
Also, our monthly newsletter and premium member data will help you to invest smarter.
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