The Best Performing Dividend Stocks over the Last 25 Years
Updated as of: May 9, 2026
Dividend income composes a major part of equity investing over the long run; 34% of all stocks listed on major US exchanges pay a dividend, making for plenty of options to take advantage of periodic earnings distributions.
With more than one-third of U.S. stock market total returns since 1930 having been produced by dividends, it’s no surprise that a common investment objective is dividend income.
To help advisors make more informed decisions about which stocks to consider for client portfolios, this article contains the best-performing dividend stocks from the last year all the way back to the past decade, with data routinely updated by YCharts.
To create this list, we used the YCharts Stock Screener to find the best-performing dividend yielding stocks on the S&P High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index over a YTD, 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year basis.
Table of Contents
Looking for lists of the best-performing dividend ETFs? Check out our Best Performing Dividend ETFs analysis here.
Best Performing Dividend Stocks YTD
These are the top-performing dividend stocks YTD, as of April 30, 2026.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Price Returns | YTD Total Returns | Dividend Yield | Dividend | Market Cap ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TXN | Texas Instruments Incorporated | 62.02% | 63.08% | 1.98% | $1.420 | $255,635.97 |
| WLK | Westlake Corp. | 55.91% | 56.71% | 1.84% | $0.530 | $14,693.06 |
| CAT | Caterpillar, Inc. | 55.38% | 56.04% | 0.69% | $1.510 | $402,916.67 |
| TPL | Texas Pacific Land Corp. | 54.47% | 54.65% | 0.51% | $0.600 | $29,838.52 |
| CASY | Casey's General Stores, Inc. | 48.75% | 48.89% | 0.27% | $0.570 | $31,512.35 |
| ADI | Analog Devices, Inc. | 48.33% | 48.81% | 1.03% | $1.100 | $193,826.83 |
| MCHP | Microchip Technology, Inc. | 45.81% | 46.68% | 1.91% | $0.455 | $51,570.21 |
| ALB | Albemarle Corp. | 39.07% | 39.43% | 0.85% | $0.405 | $22,479.85 |
| NUE | Nucor Corp. | 38.12% | 38.58% | 0.98% | $0.560 | $51,424.98 |
| TGT | Target Corp. | 32.74% | 34.06% | 3.55% | $1.140 | $57,856.83 |
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Best Performing Dividend Stocks in the Last Year
These are the top-performing dividend stocks over the past year, as of April 30, 2026.
| Symbol | Name | 1 Year Price Return | 1 Year Total Return | Dividend Yield | Dividend | Market Cap ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALB | Albemarle Corp. | 235.95% | 241.91% | 0.85% | $0.405 | $22,479.85 |
| CAT | Caterpillar, Inc. | 187.81% | 190.94% | 0.69% | $1.510 | $402,916.67 |
| CMI | Cummins, Inc. | 128.36% | 132.57% | 1.19% | $2.000 | $90,737.43 |
| ADI | Analog Devices, Inc. | 106.37% | 109.55% | 1.03% | $1.100 | $193,826.83 |
| CHRW | C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. | 103.78% | 107.66% | 1.55% | $0.630 | $19,005.84 |
| MCHP | Microchip Technology, Inc. | 101.63% | 107.59% | 1.91% | $0.455 | $51,570.21 |
| PII | Polaris Inc. | 95.14% | 105.35% | 4.30% | $0.680 | $3,561.65 |
| JBHT | J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. | 92.63% | 94.74% | 0.74% | $0.450 | $22,475.27 |
| NUE | Nucor Corp. | 88.73% | 91.59% | 0.98% | $0.560 | $51,424.98 |
| R | Ryder System, Inc. | 84.33% | 88.05% | 1.52% | $0.910 | $9,013.84 |
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Best Performing Dividend Stocks in the Last 3 Years
These are the top-performing dividend stocks on an annualized basis between May 1st, 2023 and April 30, 2026.
| Symbol | Name | 3 Year Price Return | 3 Year Total Return | Dividend Yield | Dividend | Market Cap ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAT | Caterpillar, Inc. | 306.81% | 325.65% | 0.69% | $1.510 | $402,916.67 |
| HWKN | Hawkins, Inc. | 315.10% | 324.54% | 0.45% | $0.190 | $3,449.89 |
| CASY | Casey's General Stores, Inc. | 259.30% | 264.44% | 0.27% | $0.570 | $31,512.35 |
| R | Ryder System, Inc. | 220.58% | 243.62% | 1.52% | $0.910 | $9,013.84 |
| CMI | Cummins, Inc. | 185.49% | 205.64% | 1.19% | $2.000 | $90,737.43 |
| TPL | Texas Pacific Land Corp. | 170.23% | 179.47% | 0.51% | $0.600 | $29,838.52 |
| WMT | Walmart, Inc. | 162.16% | 171.37% | 0.73% | $0.248 | $1,039,043.22 |
| CAH | Cardinal Health, Inc. | 134.93% | 146.82% | 1.04% | $0.511 | $46,152.61 |
| ADI | Analog Devices, Inc. | 123.63% | 135.30% | 1.03% | $1.100 | $193,826.83 |
| COST | Costco Wholesale Corp. | 101.61% | 109.93% | 0.53% | $1.470 | $449,326.82 |
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Best Performing Dividend Stocks in the Last 5 Years
These are the top-performing dividend stocks on an annualized basis between May 1, 2021 and April 30, 2026.
| Symbol | Name | 5 Year Price Return | 5 Year Total Return | Dividend Yield | Dividend | Market Cap ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HWKN | Hawkins, Inc. | 402.10% | 428.00% | 0.45% | $0.190 | $3,449.89 |
| CAT | Caterpillar, Inc. | 290.21% | 326.79% | 0.69% | $1.510 | $402,916.67 |
| CASY | Casey's General Stores, Inc. | 270.02% | 280.58% | 0.27% | $0.570 | $31,512.35 |
| R | Ryder System, Inc. | 217.85% | 260.64% | 1.52% | $0.910 | $9,013.84 |
| CAH | Cardinal Health, Inc. | 219.66% | 258.88% | 1.04% | $0.511 | $46,152.61 |
| XOM | Exxon Mobil Corp. | 169.62% | 226.66% | 2.63% | $1.030 | $637,045.05 |
| WMT | Walmart, Inc. | 182.89% | 202.11% | 0.73% | $0.248 | $1,039,043.22 |
| CMI | Cummins, Inc. | 166.23% | 199.95% | 1.19% | $2.000 | $90,737.43 |
| NUE | Nucor Corp. | 173.88% | 195.52% | 0.98% | $0.560 | $51,424.98 |
| COST | Costco Wholesale Corp. | 172.66% | 187.27% | 0.53% | $1.470 | $449,326.82 |
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Best Performing Dividend Stocks in the Last 10 Years
These are the top-performing dividend stocks on an annualized basis between May 1, 2016 and April 30, 2026.
| Symbol | Name | 10 Year Price Return | 10 Year Total Return | Dividend Yield | Dividend | Market Cap ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TPL | Texas Pacific Land Corp. | 2535.65% | 2836.61% | 0.51% | $0.600 | $29,838.52 |
| CAT | Caterpillar, Inc. | 1045.28% | 1336.58% | 0.69% | $1.510 | $402,916.67 |
| HWKN | Hawkins, Inc. | 755.87% | 894.95% | 0.45% | $0.190 | $3,449.89 |
| MSFT | Microsoft Corp. | 717.69% | 829.42% | 0.84% | $0.910 | $3,072,549.16 |
| ADI | Analog Devices, Inc. | 614.24% | 766.53% | 1.03% | $1.100 | $193,826.83 |
| CTAS | Cintas Corp. | 678.39% | 762.97% | 1.04% | $0.450 | $66,770.54 |
| COST | Costco Wholesale Corp. | 584.89% | 709.77% | 0.53% | $1.470 | $449,326.82 |
| CASY | Casey's General Stores, Inc. | 634.06% | 687.59% | 0.27% | $0.570 | $31,512.35 |
| CMI | Cummins, Inc. | 473.37% | 640.96% | 1.19% | $2.000 | $90,737.43 |
| WMT | Walmart, Inc. | 491.88% | 606.35% | 0.73% | $0.248 | $1,039,043.22 |
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Best Performing Dividend Stocks in the Last 25 Years
These are the top-performing dividend stocks on an annualized basis between May 1, 2001 and April 30, 2026.
| Symbol | Name | 25 Year Price Return | 25 Year Total Return | Dividend Yield | Dividend | Market Cap ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TPL | Texas Pacific Land Corp. | 55824.81% | 70075.77% | 0.51% | $0.600 | $29,918.49 |
| CMI | Cummins, Inc. | 6383.19% | 11256.63% | 1.18% | $2.000 | $91,871.77 |
| RGLD | Royal Gold, Inc. | 8448.72% | 11039.19% | 0.82% | $0.475 | $19,252.54 |
| OZK | Bank OZK | 4871.35% | 8453.47% | 3.77% | $0.470 | $5,336.28 |
| CASY | Casey's General Stores, Inc. | 6717.16% | 8373.34% | 0.26% | $0.570 | $31,864.20 |
| JBHT | J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. | 5489.56% | 6950.21% | 0.73% | $0.450 | $22,727.05 |
| HWKN | Hawkins, Inc. | 3934.94% | 6872.14% | 0.44% | $0.190 | $3,572.17 |
| SHW | The Sherwin-Williams Co. | 4498.81% | 6518.50% | 1.02% | $0.800 | $76,933.04 |
| CAT | Caterpillar, Inc. | 3446.26% | 6441.35% | 0.67% | $1.510 | $416,255.41 |
| WST | West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. | 4220.73% | 5712.25% | 0.28% | $0.220 | $21,676.10 |
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What Was the Growth of $10,000 in the Top Dividend Stocks Over the Last 10 Years?
If you invested $10,000 ten years ago into any of the ten best-performing dividend stocks over the last 10 years, your total return would be no less than $70K.
The best-performing dividend stock in the last 10 years was Texas Pacific Land Corp (TPL). A $10,000 investment into TPL 10 years ago would be worth over $293K today on a total return basis. Right behind TPL was Caterpillar (CAT); investing $10,000 into CAT back in 2016 would’ve turned into $143,660 with dividend reinvestment.
Six of the top ten best-performers achieved at least twice the return on investment than the S&P 500 Total Return over the last ten years.
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