Dividend progress shares supply buyers a mixture of portfolio earnings and the prospect of capital appreciation, in line with Wolfe Research. The agency highlighted a couple of names that match the invoice. Not all dividend payers are constructed equally. High dividend payers are typically mature corporations which can be rewarding their shareholders with these funds somewhat than redirecting their earnings towards vastly rising their companies Dividend growers, nonetheless, could begin off with modest yields, however the corporations are likely to have strong money flows and are step by step stepping up their funds to shareholders. These names supply heaps potential for long-term buyers who purchase in, reinvest dividends as they develop and profit from worth appreciation over time. “Companies with excessive free money move which can be additionally elevating their dividends have outperformed the S & P 500 by 5 proportion factors traditionally,” stated Chris Senyek, chief funding strategist at Wolfe Research, in an e-mail to CNBC. “They additionally supply a margin of security with excessive money move to fund future dividends.” To that finish, the agency recognized a listing of corporations that provide dividend progress and excessive estimated free money move to the agency yield in 2025. Hot synthetic intelligence play Constellation Energy turned up on Wolfe’s record. Shares are up 180% prior to now 12 months, and the inventory has a dividend yield of 0.4%. Not solely has Constellation seen enormous worth good points off its anticipated function in powering AI and knowledge facilities, however has additionally rewarded buyers with dividend will increase and share repurchases. Things are already wanting rosy in 2025. Constellation introduced earlier this month that it will purchase Calpine, a Houston-based energy firm, for about $16.4 billion . The acquisition builds out Constellation’s quiver of choices, including gasoline property and geothermal crops. The firm additionally lately issued its projections for standalone 2025 adjusted earnings per share, starting from $8.90 to $9.60 per share. Consensus estimates from FactSet referred to as for $9.09 per share. Constellation is a favourite on Wall Street, with 12 of 17 analysts masking the title ranking it a purchase or robust purchase. Consensus worth targets suggests shares might slip greater than 3% from present ranges, nonetheless. Oil rig operator Patterson-UTI Energy was one other spotlight on Wolfe’s record. Shares are down about 7% over the previous 12 months, however they’ve perked up 11% in 2025. Patterson-UTI has a dividend yield of about 3.5%. In a enterprise replace final week, the corporate introduced that it used almost $300 million to purchase again shares in 2024. Patterson-UTI additionally returned greater than $400 million to shareholders final 12 months when together with dividends and share repurchases – topping its shareholder return goal of fifty% of its money move. Analysts just like the inventory, with 12 out of 17 deeming it a purchase or robust purchase, per LSEG. Consensus worth targets see almost 14% upside from present ranges. Homebuilder Lennar additionally made it to Wolfe’s record. Shares are down greater than 5% over the previous 12 months, and the inventory has a dividend yield of 1.4%. RBC Capital Markets upgraded Lennar to sector carry out from underperform final week. “There is the chance for LEN to generate important [free cash flow] and doubtlessly speed up returns to shareholders because it continues towards a extra land-light technique and turns into extra disciplined on land spend,” wrote analyst Mike Dahl. There’s potential upside to the a number of from unlocking worth in ancillary companies, he added. To that finish, Lennar is on observe to spin off its subsidiary Millrose Properties, a land banking actual property funding belief. “This spin-off is a major step in our transition to a land mild manufacturing homebuilding mannequin,” Lennar co-CEO Stuart Miller stated in a press launch . Wall Street is essentially impartial on the title, with 15 out of 21 analysts ranking it maintain, in line with LSEG. Consensus worth targets name for 16% upside from present ranges. — CNBC’s Michelle Fox contributed reporting.
