Up to date on July thirty first, 2025 by Bob Ciura
Earnings buyers are all the time on the hunt for high-quality dividend shares. There are numerous methods to measure high-quality shares. A method for buyers to search out nice dividend shares is to deal with these with the longest histories of elevating dividends.
With this in thoughts, we created a downloadable listing of over 130 Dividend Champions.
You may obtain your free copy of the Dividend Champions listing, together with related monetary metrics like price-to-earnings ratios, dividend yields, and payout ratios, by clicking on the hyperlink under:
Traders are probably aware of the Dividend Aristocrats, a gaggle of 69 shares within the S&P 500 Index with 25+ consecutive years of dividend will increase.
In the meantime, buyers must also familiarize themselves with the Dividend Champions, which have additionally raised their dividends for at the very least 25 years in a row.
Whereas their size of dividend will increase is identical, resulting in some overlap, there are additionally some essential variations between the Dividend Aristocrats and Dividend Champions.
Consequently, the Dividend Champions listing is far more expansive. There are numerous high-quality Dividend Champions that aren’t included on the Dividend Aristocrats listing.
This text will talk about the Dividend Champions, and an evaluation of our prime 7 Dividend Champions now, ranked in accordance with anticipated whole returns within the Certain Evaluation Analysis Database.
Desk of Contents
You may immediately soar to any particular part of the article by clicking on the hyperlinks under:
Overview of Dividend Champions
The requirement to develop into a Dividend Champion is easy: 25+ years of consecutive annual dividend will increase. The Dividend Aristocrats have the identical requirement in terms of variety of years, however with a number of extra necessities.
To be a Dividend Aristocrat, an organization should even be included within the S&P 500 Index, will need to have a float-adjusted market cap of at the very least $3 billion, and will need to have a mean day by day worth traded of at the very least $5 million.
These added necessities preclude many corporations that possess a enough monitor document of annual dividend will increase, however don’t qualify based mostly on market cap or liquidity causes.
Consequently, whereas there may be some overlap between the Dividend Aristocrats and the Dividend Champions, there are additionally many Dividend Champions that aren’t Dividend Aristocrats.
Earnings buyers may wish to contemplate these shares attributable to their spectacular histories of annual dividend will increase, so we have now compiled them within the downloadable spreadsheet above.
As well as, we have now ranked the highest 7 Dividend Champions in accordance with whole anticipated annual returns over the subsequent 5 years. Our prime 7 Dividend Champions proper now are ranked under.
The Prime 7 Dividend Champions To Purchase Proper Now
The next 7 shares signify Dividend Champions with at the very least 25 consecutive years of dividend will increase, however in addition they have sturdy aggressive benefits, long-term development potential, and excessive anticipated whole returns.
Shares have been ranked by anticipated whole annual return over the subsequent 5 years, from lowest to highest.
Prime Dividend Champion #7: Jap Bankshares (EBC)
5-year anticipated returns: 16.6%
Jap Bankshares Inc. offers business banking services and products primarily to retail, business and small enterprise prospects. It offers banking, belief, and funding providers, in addition to insurance coverage providers, by means of its full service financial institution branches and insurance coverage workplaces.
As of March 31, 2025, Jap Bankshares had whole consolidated belongings of $25.0 billion, whole gross loans of $18.2 billion, and whole deposits of $20.8 billion. The corporate was based in 1818 and has 1,744 staff.
On July twenty fourth, 2025, Jap Bankshares introduced its second-quarter 2025 outcomes for the interval ending June thirtieth, 2025.
For the quarter, the corporate reported a internet revenue of $100.2 million, a powerful rebound from a internet lack of $217.7 million within the first quarter. Reported earnings per diluted share for a similar intervals had been $0.50 and $(1.08), respectively, marking a big enchancment.
Regardless of the prior GAAP loss, working internet revenue rose to $81.7 million, up from $67.5 million within the first quarter, reflecting enhanced core profitability.
Internet curiosity revenue elevated by $13.1 million, or 7%, to $202.0 million for the second quarter, in comparison with $188.9 million for the primary quarter of 2025. This enchancment was pushed by greater asset yields and ongoing advantages from the Cambridge merger.
Click on right here to obtain our most up-to-date Certain Evaluation report on EBC (preview of web page 1 of three proven under):
Prime Dividend Champion #6: Andersons Inc. (ANDE)
5-year anticipated returns: 17.1%
The Andersons is an agriculture firm that conducts enterprise in North America. It operates by means of the next segments: Commerce, Renewables, and Nutrient & Industrial (previously Plant Nutrient).
The Commerce section consists of commodity merchandising and the operation of terminal grain elevator amenities. The Commerce section contributed over 68% of the corporate’s income in 2024.
The Renewables section produces, purchases, and sells ethanol and co-products.
The Nutrient & Industrial section manufactures, and distributes agricultural inputs, major vitamins, and specialty fertilizers, to sellers and farmers, together with turf care and corncob-based merchandise.
Supply: Investor Presentation
On Might sixth, 2025, the corporate reported its first quarter 2025 outcomes for the interval ending March thirty first, 2025. Income was $2.66 billion, a lower from $2.72 billion in Q1 2024, reflecting continued stress in world grain markets and unsure commerce flows.
Internet revenue attributable to The Andersons fell sharply to $0.3 million, or $0.01 per diluted share, in comparison with $5.6 million, or $0.16 per share within the prior yr.
Adjusted internet revenue was $4.1 million, or $0.12 per share, down from $5.6 million and $0.16, respectively.
Click on right here to obtain our most up-to-date Certain Evaluation report on ANDE (preview of web page 1 of three proven under):
Prime Dividend Champion #5: Sonoco Merchandise (SON)
5-year anticipated returns: 18.0%
Sonoco Merchandise offers packaging, industrial merchandise and provide chain providers to its prospects. The markets that use the corporate’s merchandise embrace these within the home equipment, electronics, beverage, development and meals industries.
The corporate generates over $5 billion in annual gross sales. Sonoco Merchandise is now composed of two main segments, Client Packaging, and Industrial Packaging, with all different companies listed as “All Different”.
On April sixteenth, 2025, Sonoco Merchandise raised its quarterly dividend 1.9% to $0.53, extending the corporate’s dividend development streak to 49 consecutive years.
On July twenty third, 2025, Sonoco Merchandise introduced second quarter outcomes for the interval ending June twenty ninth, 2025. For the quarter, income grew 17.9% to $1.91 billion, which was in-line with estimates. Adjusted earnings-per-share of $1.37 in comparison with $1.28 within the prior yr, however was $0.08 lower than anticipated.
Revenues and earnings benefited from the addition of Eviosys. For the quarter, Client Packaging revenues surged 110% to $1.23 billion, largely attributable to contributions from Eviosys.
Quantity development was robust and favorable forex trade charges additionally aided outcomes. Industrial Paper Packing gross sales fell 2% to $588 million as a result of influence of overseas forex trade charges and decrease quantity following two plant divestitures in China final yr.
Click on right here to obtain our most up-to-date Certain Evaluation report on Sonoco (SON) (preview of web page 1 of three proven under):
Prime Dividend Champion #4: Becton Dickinson & Co. (BDX)
5-year anticipated returns: 18.4%
Becton, Dickinson & Co., or BD, is a world chief within the medical provide trade. The corporate generates nearly $22 billion in annual income, with roughly 43% of revenues coming from exterior of the U.S. BD consists of three segments.
Merchandise offered by the Medical Division embrace needles for drug supply programs, and surgical blades. The Life Sciences division offers merchandise for the gathering and transportation of diagnostic specimens. The Intervention section consists of a number of of the merchandise produced by what was Bard.
On Might 1st, 2025, BD reported outcomes for the second quarter of fiscal yr 2025.
Supply: Investor Presentation
For the quarter, income grew 4.5% to $5.3 billion, which was $50 million lower than anticipated.
On a forex impartial foundation, income elevated 6%. Adjusted earnings-per-share of $3.36 in contrast favorably to $3.17 within the prior yr and was $0.07 above estimates.
For the quarter, U.S. grew 7% whereas worldwide was up 1.2% on a reported foundation. Excluding forex trade, worldwide was greater by 4.8%. Natural development was up 0.7% for the interval.
Click on right here to obtain our most up-to-date Certain Evaluation report on BDX (preview of web page 1 of three proven under):
Prime Dividend Champion #3: H2O America (HTO)
5-year anticipated returns: 19.9%
H2O America, previously referred to as SJW Group, is a water utility firm that produces, purchases, shops, purifies and distributes water to customers and companies within the Silicon Valley space of California, the world north of San Antonio, Texas, Connecticut, and Maine.
It additionally has a small actual property division that owns and develops properties for residential and warehouse prospects in California and Tennessee. The corporate generates about $670 million in annual revenues.
On April twenty eighth, 2025, HTO reported first quarter outcomes for the interval ending March thirty first, 2025. For the quarter, income improved 18.2% to $176.6 million, which beat estimates by $16.1 million. Earnings-per-share of $0.50 in contrast favorably to earnings-per-share of $0.36 within the prior yr and was $0.14 greater than anticipated.
For the quarter, greater water charges general added $17.2 million to outcomes and better buyer utilization added $1.0 million. Working manufacturing bills totaled $131.7 million, which was an 8% enhance from the prior yr. Many of the enhance in bills was as soon as once more associated to greater water manufacturing prices.
Click on right here to obtain our most up-to-date Certain Evaluation report on HTO (preview of web page 1 of three proven under):
Prime Dividend Champion #2: Stepan Co. (SCL)
5-year anticipated returns: 21.2%
Stepan manufactures fundamental and intermediate chemical substances, together with surfactants, specialty merchandise, germicidal and cloth softening quaternaries, phthalic anhydride, polyurethane polyols and particular substances for the meals, complement, and pharmaceutical markets.
It’s organized into three distinct enterprise strains: surfactants, polymers, and specialty merchandise. These companies serve all kinds of finish markets, that means that Stepan shouldn’t be beholden to only a handful of industries.
Supply: Investor presentation
The surfactants enterprise is Stepan’s largest by income, accounting for ~68% of whole gross sales in the newest quarter. A surfactant is an natural compound that accommodates each water-soluble and water-insoluble elements.
Stepan posted first quarter earnings on April twenty ninth, 2025, and outcomes had been higher than anticipated on each the highest and backside strains, and by extensive margins for each. Adjusted earnings-per-share got here to 84 cents, 24 cents higher than estimates. Income was up nearly 8% year-over-year to $593 million, beating estimates by $31 million.
International gross sales volumes had been up 4% year-over-year. Income for surfactants was up 10% to $430 million, pushed by 3% quantity development and pricing enhancements. The agricultural and oilfield finish markets had been up within the double-digits.
Polymers income was steady at $146 million, with a 7% quantity enhance offset by a 7% decline in pricing attributable to decrease uncooked materials prices, and aggressive pressures. Specialty merchandise income was up 11%, supported by greater pricing and quantity development in medium chain triglycerides.
Click on right here to obtain our most up-to-date Certain Evaluation report on SCL (preview of web page 1 of three proven under):
Prime Dividend Champion #1: Novo Nordisk (NVO)
5-year anticipated returns: 26.7%
Novo Nordisk A/S ADR is a big world pharmaceutical firm headquartered in Denmark. The corporate focuses on two core enterprise segments: Diabetes & Weight problems Care and Uncommon Ailments.
The Diabetes & Weight problems Care section manufactures insulin, associated supply programs, oral anti-diabetic merchandise, and merchandise to deal with weight problems. The Uncommon Ailments section manufactures merchandise for hemophilia and different persistent ailments. Novo Nordisk derives ~92% of income from diabetes and weight problems.
Novo Nordisk reported wonderful Q1 2025 outcomes on Might seventh, 2025. Firm-wide gross sales had been up 19% in Danish kroner to and diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) rose 15% on a year-over-year foundation.
Diabetes & Weight problems gross sales elevated 21% pushed by will increase in Ozempic and Rybelsus (GLP-1), Wegovy (weight problems), long-acting insulin, and fast-acting insulin, offset by decrease gross sales for premix insulin, Saxenda (weight problems), Victoza (GLP-1), and flat human insulin.
The Uncommon Illness section gross sales rose 5% brought on by rising uncommon blood and endocrine problems medicine. The agency is increasing its blockbuster GLP-1 and weight problems medicine to different indications and dosing sizes.
The corporate lowered its outlook to 13 – 21% gross sales development and 16%- 24% working revenue development in 2025.
Click on right here to obtain our most up-to-date Certain Evaluation report on NVO (preview of web page 1 of three proven under):
Closing Ideas
The varied lists of shares by size of dividend historical past are useful resource for buyers who deal with high-quality dividend shares.
To ensure that an organization to boost its dividend for at the very least 25 years, it will need to have sturdy aggressive benefits, extremely worthwhile companies, and management positions of their respective industries.
Additionally they have long-term development potential and the flexibility to navigate recessions whereas persevering with to boost their dividends.
The highest 7 Dividend Champions offered on this article have lengthy histories of dividend development, and the mixture of excessive dividend yields, low valuations, and future earnings development potential make them engaging buys proper now.
The Dividend Champions listing shouldn’t be the one option to shortly display for shares that commonly pay rising dividends.
The Dividend Kings Record is much more unique than the Dividend Aristocrats. It’s comprised of 55 shares with 50+ years of consecutive dividend will increase.
The Excessive Dividend Shares Record: shares that enchantment to buyers within the highest yields of 5% or extra.
The Month-to-month Dividend Shares Record: shares that pay dividends each month, for 12 dividend funds per yr.
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