DIVIDEND STOCKS
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Updated June 2026 · Top 500 dividend stocks
Best Dividend Stocks 2026: Ranked by Safety, Quality, and Value
A dividend stock screener ranking payout coverage, dividend growth, balance-sheet safety, business quality, risk, and valuation. Not yield alone.
Dividend yield alone is a weak shortcut. This dividend stocks ranking covers up to 500 companies from the broader Liquid North Atlantic universe using dividend safety, payout coverage, dividend growth, business quality, risk control, and valuation signals. The simulated strategy turns that ranking into a 100-position portfolio.
For research and educational purposes only · Not financial advice
Dividend Stocks Ranked by Safety, Quality, and Value
Top 500 stocks in the ranking
As of 2026-06-17
| Rank | Ticker | Flag | Company | MCap | Dividend | Quality | Safety | Risk | Value | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | ELEC | Électricité de Strasbourg SA | $1.6B | 99.7 | 94.0 | 99.2 | 96.4 | 81.0 | 99.99 | |
| 02 | AEP | AEP Plantations Plc | $836M | 96.4 | 97.3 | 99.6 | 84.9 | 83.6 | 99.97 | |
| 03 | VOT | Votum SA | $141M | 99.9 | 97.2 | 96.7 | 74.5 | 94.5 | 99.96 | |
| 04 | ANHYT.E | Anadolu Hayat Emeklilik AS | $941M | 100.0 | 96.7 | 98.8 | 72.4 | 73.5 | 99.95 | |
| 05 | MPE | M.P. Evans Group Plc | $1.1B | 96.5 | 97.1 | 99.5 | 88.0 | 66.5 | 99.93 | |
| 06 | RICHT | Chemical Works of Gedeon Richter Plc | $7.1B | 98.5 | 95.8 | 91.8 | 91.3 | 86.3 | 99.92 | |
| 07 | PKN | ORLEN SA | $40.6B | 93.9 | 97.4 | 90.8 | 78.0 | 96.5 | 99.91 | |
| 08 | HTO | Hellenic Telecommunications Organization SA | $8.8B | 98.1 | 98.5 | 92.7 | 93.0 | 74.7 | 99.89 | |
| 09 | DBC | Firma Oponiarska Debica SA | $334M | 96.0 | 90.7 | 97.8 | 96.8 | 94.5 | 99.88 | |
| 10 | OFN | Orell Füssli AG | $378M | 92.3 | 96.4 | 98.5 | 96.8 | 78.5 | 99.86 | |
| 11 | VIAFIN | Viafin Service Oyj | $82M | 96.8 | 95.8 | 96.6 | 96.3 | 78.9 | 99.85 | |
| 12 | TEL1L | Telia Lietuva AB | $1.4B | 95.3 | 98.7 | 91.9 | 99.3 | 69.8 | 99.84 | |
| 13 | CALM | Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. | $3.8B | 97.3 | 96.4 | 99.9 | 88.6 | 90.8 | 99.82 | |
| 14 | MTEL | Magyar Telekom Telecommunications Plc | $8.4B | 99.8 | 98.2 | 87.8 | 77.0 | 69.2 | 99.81 | |
| 15 | GSL | Global Ship Lease, Inc. | $1.4B | 99.2 | 94.8 | 80.3 | 80.3 | 93.0 | 99.80 | |
| 16 | VEI | Veidekke ASA | $2.6B | 91.4 | 99.6 | 96.5 | 87.0 | 76.0 | 99.78 | |
| 17 | XTB | XTB SA | $3.5B | 99.8 | 100.0 | 95.1 | 68.0 | 65.7 | 99.77 | |
| 18 | AMB | Ambra SA | $119M | 98.9 | 93.9 | 88.4 | 95.2 | 95.0 | 99.76 | |
| 19 | GSP | Gas Plus SpA | $276M | 91.9 | 98.8 | 87.1 | 72.3 | 93.2 | 99.74 | |
| 20 | TKA | Telekom Austria AG | $7.4B | 95.8 | 96.3 | 86.1 | 92.3 | 93.0 | 99.73 |
Bucket Distribution
Universe-adjusted annualized return by rank bucket. The zero line is the average return across the ranked universe.
Universe
7.6%
Benchmark
+0.4%
Top
+4.3%
Dividend vs Quality
Each flag is a ranked stock at its listing country. Larger flags rank higher overall; the dashed lines mark the group averages.
Backtested Strategy
Current Holdings
| Ticker | Flag | Company | Weight | Gain/Loss | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XOM | Exxon Mobil Corp. | 19.52% | +30.01% | 97.28 | |
| CSCO | Cisco Systems, Inc. | 8.99% | +130.79% | 93.62 | |
| EQNR | Equinor ASA | 8.24% | +44.34% | 99.54 | |
| WMT | Walmart, Inc. | 7.11% | +311.47% | 89.75 | |
| ZURN | Zurich Insurance Group AG | 4.62% | +12.21% | 99.08 | |
| SAN | Sanofi | 4.57% | -11.90% | 98.90 | |
| CM | Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce | 3.36% | +127.94% | 85.83 | |
| LMT | Lockheed Martin Corp. | 3.35% | +10.02% | 86.61 | |
| MFC | Manulife Financial Corp. | 2.54% | +113.84% | 95.61 | |
| SU | Suncor Energy, Inc. | 2.41% | +27.38% | 99.16 | |
| EOG | EOG Resources, Inc. | 2.38% | +7.01% | 99.38 | |
| ADP | Automatic Data Processing, Inc. | 1.94% | +12.69% | 94.37 | |
| SLF | Sun Life Financial, Inc. | 1.82% | +55.07% | 95.97 | |
| SCMN | Swisscom AG | 1.51% | +42.78% | 97.56 | |
| BA | BAE Systems Plc | 1.36% | +115.35% | 93.30 | |
| TEN | Tenaris SA | 1.28% | +61.08% | 99.05 | |
| AD | Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize NV | 1.16% | +44.42% | 99.47 | |
| CNA | CNA Financial Corp. | 1.00% | +1.91% | 93.19 | |
| TRV | The Travelers Cos., Inc. | 0.98% | +158.05% | 98.39 | |
| KR | The Kroger Co. | 0.81% | +53.14% | 96.93 |
Growth of $100,000.00
01/2006 - 06/2026
- Annualized Return
- 10.56% vs 8.45% benchmark
- Sharpe Ratio
- 0.75 vs 0.50 benchmark
- Sortino Ratio
- 1.01 vs 0.64 benchmark
- Max Drawdown
- -41.44% vs -62.59% benchmark
- Alpha
- 4.51% vs DVY benchmark
- Beta
- 0.62 vs DVY benchmark
General Info
- Period
- 2006-01-01 - 2026-06-18
- Benchmark
- Dividend Stocks (DVY:USA)
- Universe
- Liquid North Atlantic
- Number of Positions
- 100
- Rebalance Frequency
- Every 52 Weeks
- Annual Turnover
- 24.40%(~24 trades/yr)
- Overall Winners
- (378/649) 58.24%
- Correlation to Benchmark
- 0.78
Performance by Calendar Year
* from 01/02/06·** to 06/17/26
Advanced Metrics
- Information Ratio
- 0.10 active-return efficiency
- Calmar Ratio
- 0.25 return vs drawdown
- Volatility
- 12.21% vs 15.27% benchmark
- Ulcer Index
- 8.04% vs 15.60% benchmark
Recent Trades
As of 2026-06-18
The most recent simulated buys and sells from the latest rebalances.
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- Currency
- USD
- Sizing
- Variable weights
- Weighting
- Dividends paid
- Positions
- 100
- Reconstitution
- Every 52 weeks
- Rebalance
- Every 52 weeks
Universe
This ranking uses the Liquid North Atlantic universe, then ranks eligible stocks with a custom dividend system instead of starting from the narrower benchmark holdings list.
Position Sizing
The portfolio targets 100 long positions, reconstitutes annually, and rebalances every 52 weeks. Position weights vary based on trailing dividends paid. Immediate buyback is disabled.
Buying and Selling
The buy side requires liquid non-OTC, non-ADR, non-MLP stocks with positive dividends, covered payout ratios, positive net free cash flow, and Rank above 90. Sell rules exit low ranks, missing or zero dividends, weak payout coverage, negative net free cash flow, deeper relative drawdowns, and stale positions whose rank fades.
Trading Costs
Trades fill at the average of the next high, low, and twice the close, with $0.005 per share commission and no management fee. Variable slippage is included, and the model does not use margin.
About these models
These are illustrative backtests, not portfolios to copy. They show how a hypothetical strategy built on the ranking might have behaved after rebalancing rules, trading costs, timing, and position sizing are layered on top. Results are not actual trading returns, not investment advice, and do not guarantee future performance. We validate that each ranking can sort stocks within its universe in a historically useful way, but a good ranking can still lead to better or worse outcomes once it becomes a tradable model.
Each stock is scored from 0 to 100 across the ranking blocks below: dividend return and policy, quality and cash generation, balance-sheet dividend safety, risk and price confirmation, and reasonable valuation. Higher block scores are better. The final score is the weighted blend of those blocks, so a stock ranks highly only when several parts of the system agree.
Ranking System
Every stock in the universe is scored 0 to 100 across five composites: dividend return and policy, quality and cash generation, balance-sheet dividend safety, risk and price confirmation, and reasonable valuation. The factor scores roll up into the block scores in the table above, and the weighted total drives the final rank.
Dividend Return And Policy35% weight
Whether the stock offers useful dividend return without depending on an unstable yield spike, and whether payout ratios and dividend growth support the policy.
- Dividend Yield
- Shareholder Yield
- Yield Deviation From Five Year Average
- TTM Payout Ratio Near Mature Range
Quality And Cash Generation25% weight
Whether the company combines durable profitability, clean earnings, cash conversion, and cash-flow valuation.
- Five Year ROI
- TTM ROI
- Five Year Gross Margin
- Five Year Operating Margin
Balance Sheet Dividend Safety20% weight
Whether leverage and interest coverage leave enough room for the dividend to survive normal business stress.
- Debt to Capital
- Debt to Assets
- Interest Coverage
- Five Year Interest Coverage
Risk And Price Confirmation12% weight
Whether the dividend stock has lower realized volatility, lower beta, and enough intermediate price confirmation to avoid obvious value traps.
- Three Year Weekly Volatility
- Three Year Beta
- Twelve Minus One Month Total Return
Reasonable Valuation8% weight
Whether the stock avoids obviously stretched valuation across enterprise value, sales, and book-value multiples.
- EV/EBITDA
- Price to Sales
- Price to Book
Dividend Stocks FAQ
What are the best dividend stocks right now?
The ranking covers up to 500 dividend stocks from the latest published update. The simulated strategy targets a 100-position portfolio. Treat both as research shortlists, not buy lists.
What are undervalued dividend stocks?
Undervalued dividend stocks are dividend-paying companies whose yield, payout, cash flow, quality, balance-sheet safety, and valuation look attractive relative to the rest of the ranked universe. This strategy keeps valuation in the model, but it does not rank by cheapness alone.
What are the safest dividend stocks?
The safest dividend stocks are usually companies with durable cash flows, conservative payout ratios, positive free cash flow, manageable debt, and enough earnings power to keep funding the dividend through normal business stress.
What are the best dividend stocks to buy and hold?
For long-term research, this ranking favors dividend stocks with payout coverage, dividend growth, business quality, balance sheet resilience, and reasonable valuation instead of ranking only by the highest current yield.
How does this dividend stock screener work?
Each stock receives a 0 to 100 score across dividend return and policy, quality and cash generation, balance-sheet dividend safety, risk and price confirmation, and reasonable valuation. The final rank blends those blocks into one dividend-stock score.
How does this dividend stock screener find dividend growth stocks?
The dividend block rewards five-year and three-year regular dividend growth, plus evidence that the current dividend has been maintained or grown versus the company's five-year average dividend.
Does this ranking include a dividend safety score?
Yes. The ranking includes payout sustainability, free-cash-flow dividend coverage, leverage, and interest coverage. Those signals are designed to avoid fragile high-yield stocks whose payouts are not well covered.
Are undervalued dividend stocks included?
Yes. The strategy includes cash-flow valuation and a reasonable-valuation block using free cash flow yield, earnings yield, EV/EBITDA, price to sales, and price to book.
Are these high dividend yield stocks?
Not necessarily. The page is not a high-yield list and does not rank stocks by dividend yield alone. It uses the Liquid North Atlantic universe and lets the ranking balance yield with payout sustainability, dividend growth, quality, balance-sheet safety, risk, and valuation controls.
What universe does this dividend stock screener use?
This strategy uses the Liquid North Atlantic universe rather than the narrower dividend benchmark universe. The goal is to stay comparable to Dividend Stocks (DVY:USA) while letting a broader starting universe, custom ranking system, and explicit buy/sell rules improve the research list.
Are these dividend stocks to buy?
No. This page is for research and education only. Use the ranking as a starting point for deeper due diligence, risk review, valuation work, and your own investment process.
How often is the dividend stocks ranking updated?
The ranking is designed to update regularly. Check the as-of date above the table to see how current the listed stocks are.
More Rankings & Systems
Quality Stocks
A broad quality ranking focused on profitability, margins, free cash flow quality, durability, solvency, and accounting quality.
Value investingUndervalued Stocks
A complementary value ranking focused on valuation breadth, earnings quality, financial strength, and investment discipline.
Defensive resilienceDefensive Stocks
A ranking focused on stable fundamentals, lower downside risk, cash flow quality, and balance sheet resilience.
Feedback
Spot something confusing, stale, or worth improving? Send feedback on the ranking, strategy assumptions, holdings table, or explanation.
Research & Backtest Disclaimer
These rankings are research shortlists, not investment advice, personalized recommendations, or offers to buy or sell securities. They do not account for your objectives, risk tolerance, taxes, time horizon, portfolio, or personal financial situation.
Backtests and simulations are historical models, not live results or guarantees of future performance. Data, assumptions, transaction costs, liquidity, turnover, taxes, and implementation can materially change actual outcomes. Verify current company data and do your own due diligence before making any investment decision.