The Best Performing Dividend Stocks over the Last 25 Years
Published: September 10, 2025 / Updated November 4, 2026
Analysis by YCharts Research Team
Dividend income composes a major part of equity investing over the long run; 33% 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.
The strongest-performing dividend-paying stocks reflect a broad range of market trends, with energy, retail, and semiconductor companies leading recent gains. In 2026, energy giants Chevron and ExxonMobil have benefited from elevated energy prices and refining margins, while Target and Best Buy have gained from resilient consumer spending. Semiconductor companies Texas Instruments and Analog Devices have also emerged as standouts, supported by growing demand for chips tied to artificial intelligence.
Over longer investment horizons, the leading performers underscore the importance of strategic expansion, infrastructure investment, and exposure to powerful secular growth trends. Ryder System, Cardinal Health, and Caterpillar have benefited from acquisitions, healthcare innovation, and rising industrial and energy demand, while Hawkins has capitalized on infrastructure spending, clean-water investment, and recovering industrial activity Texas Pacific Land Corp has led both over the past decade and the last 25 years, driven by its valuable Permian Basin land holdings and oil royalties.
Collectively, these trends demonstrate how dividend-paying stocks can deliver substantial total returns when supported by strong business fundamentals, favorable industry dynamics, and long-term growth opportunities.
We used the YCharts Stock Screener to find the best-performing dividend-yielding stocks YTD and on a 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, 10-year, as well as 25-year basis within the S&P High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index.
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 October 31, 2026. Energy, retail, and semiconductor companies are among the best dividend-paying stocks with the highest year-to-date returns. Large-cap energy names Chevron (CVX) and ExxonMobil (XOM) have surged in 2026 due to record energy prices & refining margins, sporting respective dividend yields of 3.13% and 2.32%. National big-box retailers Target (TGT) and Best Buy (BBY) have benefitted from continued consumer spending, yielding higher dividend payouts of 2.97% and 4.08%, respectively. Texas Instruments Incorporated (TXN) is the best-performing dividend-yielding stock YTD, having attracted a wave of price target increases from most Wall Street banks thanks to strong semiconductor demand. Fellow semiconductor firm Analog Devices (ADI) also joins the best-performing dividend stock list as a beneficiary from the same AI-driven analog chip demand cycle.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Price Returns | YTD Total Returns | Dividend Yield | Dividend | Market Cap | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TXN | Texas Instruments Incorporated | 73.40% | 77.22% | 1.85% | $1.52 | 285.62B | Information Technology |
| RHI | Robert Half, Inc. | 61.01% | 70.82% | 5.40% | $0.59 | 4.476B | Industrials |
| NUE | Nucor Corp. | 67.91% | 69.29% | 0.82% | $0.56 | 62.09B | Materials |
| TGT | Target Corp. | 57.93% | 62.21% | 2.97% | $1.16 | 70.14B | Consumer Staples |
| CVX | Chevron Corp. | 54.53% | 58.82% | 3.13% | $1.78 | 445.08B | Energy |
| XOM | ExxonMobil Holdings Corp. | 55.60% | 58.70% | 2.32% | $1.07 | 723.86B | Energy |
| ADI | Analog Devices, Inc. | 53.80% | 55.18% | 1.02% | $1.10 | 203.42B | Information Technology |
| WST | West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. | 49.97% | 50.32% | 0.22% | $0.26 | 28.41B | Health Care |
| R | Ryder System, Inc. | 47.63% | 49.45% | 1.33% | $1.01 | 10.77B | Industrials |
| BBY | Best Buy Co., Inc. | 42.91% | 48.49% | 4.08% | $0.96 | 19.75B | Consumer Discretionary |
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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 October 31, 2026. One notable name on this list is Robert Half, Inc (RHI). The professional staffing and consulting firm is the third best-performing dividend-paying stock in the last twelve months and holds the highest dividend yield on this list, yielding 5.40%. Two consecutive quarterly earnings beats in Q2 2026 and Q3 2026 combined with a strong labor market backdrop has propelled RHI 81% higher in the last year, on a total return basis.
| Symbol | Name | 1 Year Price Return | 1 Year Total Return | Dividend Yield | Dividend | Market Cap | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TXN | Texas Instruments Incorporated | 86.32% | 90.43% | 1.85% | $1.52 | 285.62B | Information Technology |
| NUE | Nucor Corp. | 82.52% | 84.66% | 0.82% | $0.56 | 62.09B | Materials |
| RHI | Robert Half, Inc. | 66.97% | 80.97% | 5.40% | $0.59 | 4.476B | Industrials |
| ADI | Analog Devices, Inc. | 78.15% | 80.39% | 1.02% | $1.10 | 203.42B | Information Technology |
| TGT | Target Corp. | 66.50% | 73.14% | 2.97% | $1.16 | 70.14B | Consumer Staples |
| R | Ryder System, Inc. | 66.96% | 69.95% | 1.33% | $1.01 | 10.77B | Industrials |
| XOM | ExxonMobil Holdings Corp. | 63.74% | 68.44% | 2.32% | $1.07 | 723.86B | Energy |
| EXPD | Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. | 63.13% | 64.81% | 0.77% | $0.81 | 26.56B | Industrials |
| SWK | Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. | 52.75% | 59.34% | 3.18% | $0.84 | 15.80B | Industrials |
| CVX | Chevron Corp. | 49.33% | 55.19% | 3.13% | $1.78 | 445.08B | Energy |
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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 November 1st, 2023 and October 31, 2026. The best-performing stock in the last 3 years is Ryder System (R), followed by Cardinal Health (CAH) and Caterpillar (CAT). Ryder Systems has actively expanded through acquisitions in 2026, including the acquisition of Efficiency Enterprises, which is expected to add about $50 million in gross revenue in 2027. Cardinal Health holds more than 70 nuclear medicine trials in its pipeline, and positive Phase 3 results for RayzeBio’s RYZ101 helped reinforce its nuclear medicine manufacturing growth outlook. Caterpillar reported a 17% year-over-year increase in sales and revenue to $20.68 billion in Q3, with adjusted profit jumping to $7.20/share from $4.95 a year earlier. Despite a recent post-earnings pullback, Caterpillar’s sales backlog continues to grow due to strong order rates, driven by increasing energy demand to support the data center buildout related to cloud computing and generative AI.
| Symbol | Name | 3 Year Price Return | 3 Year Total Return | Dividend Yield | Dividend | Market Cap | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | Ryder System, Inc. | 189.68% | 208.35% | 1.33% | $1.01 | 10.77B | Industrials |
| CAH | Cardinal Health, Inc. | 175.25% | 187.27% | 0.81% | $0.52 | 58.94B | Health Care |
| CAT | Caterpillar, Inc. | 175.49% | 186.55% | 1.01% | $1.63 | 286.81B | Industrials |
| ADI | Analog Devices, Inc. | 165.12% | 177.91% | 1.02% | $1.10 | 203.42B | Information Technology |
| HWKN | Hawkins, Inc. | 165.59% | 170.76% | 0.50% | $0.20 | 3.160B | Materials |
| CASY | Casey's General Stores, Inc. | 150.15% | 153.51% | 0.37% | $0.65 | 24.61B | Consumer Staples |
| TRV | The Travelers Cos., Inc. | 136.63% | 149.00% | 1.19% | $1.25 | 81.02B | Financials |
| CMI | Cummins, Inc. | 131.20% | 145.63% | 1.64% | $2.20 | 68.93B | Industrials |
| WMT | Walmart, Inc. | 126.75% | 133.99% | 0.78% | $0.25 | 991.64B | Consumer Staples |
| ABBV | AbbVie, Inc. | 108.88% | 130.94% | 2.42% | $1.82 | 505.38B | Health Care |
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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 November 1, 2021 and October 31, 2026. Specialty water treatment and chemicals company Hawkins, Inc (HWKN) is among the best-performing dividend-paying stocks in the past five years, in addition to Cardinal Health and Ryder System. The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act contained the largest federal investment for clean water in US history; municipal water utilities ramped up chemical purchasing and infrastructure upgrades from Hawkins, serving as a founding catalyst for the company’s five-year growth. Post-COVID industrial recovery drove a surge in demand for specialty chemicals across food, pharmaceutical, and industrial applications, and an accelerated M&A strategy executed by Hawkins all contributed to a five-year total return of 335.5%.
| Symbol | Name | 5 Year Price Return | 5 Year Total Return | Dividend Yield | Dividend | Market Cap | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAH | Cardinal Health, Inc. | 423.91% | 480.00% | 0.81% | $0.52 | 58.94B | Health Care |
| HWKN | Hawkins, Inc. | 315.95% | 335.51% | 0.50% | $0.20 | 3.160B | Materials |
| R | Ryder System, Inc. | 232.61% | 274.90% | 1.33% | $1.01 | 10.77B | Industrials |
| CASY | Casey's General Stores, Inc. | 255.12% | 264.82% | 0.37% | $0.65 | 24.61B | Consumer Staples |
| XOM | ExxonMobil Holdings Corp. | 190.45% | 246.11% | 2.32% | $1.07 | 723.86B | Energy |
| CAT | Caterpillar, Inc. | 205.25% | 231.63% | 1.01% | $1.63 | 286.81B | Industrials |
| GWW | W.W. Grainger, Inc. | 193.49% | 208.32% | 0.68% | $2.49 | 65.85B | Industrials |
| ABBV | AbbVie, Inc. | 157.16% | 207.45% | 2.42% | $1.82 | 505.38B | Health Care |
| COR | Cencora, Inc. | 171.14% | 184.96% | 0.70% | $0.60 | 64.98B | Health Care |
| TRV | The Travelers Cos., Inc. | 146.28% | 170.83% | 1.19% | $1.25 | 81.02B | Financials |
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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 November 1, 2016 and October 31, 2026. The best-performing dividend-paying stock over the last ten years is Texas Pacific Land Corp (TPL) with a 1,158% total return. Texas Pacific Land Corp owns land in the Permian Basin of West Texas, one of the most prolific oil fields on earth, and collects royalties when oil producers drill on it. While the price of TPL was essentially flat for the first few years of the last decade, it exploded upward from 2021 onward as the Permian shale boom accelerated, oil prices surged (WTI reaching as high as $114/barrel in 2026 due to Middle East supply disruptions), and energy companies drilled aggressively on TPL-owned acreage. As a pure royalty model with virtually no operating costs, almost every dollar of revenue flows to Texas Pacific Land Corp’s bottom line.
The second best-performing dividend-paying stock over the last decade is Microsoft (MSFT). This mega-cap legacy software giant has transformed into a cloud-first, AI-powered platform, growing Azure into one of the world’s two dominant cloud platforms and replacing one-time software licenses for its Microsoft 365 line with high-margin recurring subscription revenue. A major investment by Microsoft into OpenAI in 2023 and the launch of Copilot AI products across its entire suite created an entirely new monetization layer, providing another catalyst for the stock to generate a ten-year total return of 881%. OpenAI expects annualized revenue to exceed $70 billion by the end of 2026, reinforcing Microsoft’s AI ecosystem advantage.
| Symbol | Name | 10 Year Price Return | 10 Year Total Return | Dividend Yield | Dividend | Market Cap | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TPL | Texas Pacific Land Corp. | 1025.27% | 1157.84% | 0.70% | $0.60 | 22.90B | Energy |
| MSFT | Microsoft Corp. | 771.01% | 880.88% | 0.70% | $0.98 | 3.869T | Information Technology |
| CAT | Caterpillar, Inc. | 646.17% | 822.75% | 1.01% | $1.63 | 286.81B | Industrials |
| CTAS | Cintas Corp. | 724.30% | 818.70% | 0.84% | $0.52 | 89.39B | Industrials |
| HWKN | Hawkins, Inc. | 656.03% | 772.65% | 0.50% | $0.20 | 3.160B | Materials |
| COST | Costco Wholesale Corp. | 584.57% | 710.86% | 0.56% | $1.47 | 451.80B | Consumer Staples |
| ABBV | AbbVie, Inc. | 428.67% | 694.55% | 2.42% | $1.82 | 505.38B | Health Care |
| ADI | Analog Devices, Inc. | 550.72% | 683.04% | 1.02% | $1.10 | 203.42B | Information Technology |
| GWW | W.W. Grainger, Inc. | 553.07% | 656.87% | 0.68% | $2.49 | 65.85B | Industrials |
| NUE | Nucor Corp. | 460.63% | 592.34% | 0.82% | $0.56 | 62.09B | Materials |
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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 November 1, 2001 and October 31, 2026. The best-performing dividend-paying stock over the last 25 years is Texas Pacific Land Corp, with a 25-year total return of 49,478%. Powertrain component manufacturer Cummins, Inc (CMI) is the second best-performer, rising over 11,000% since November 2001. Finally, an 11.3% one-month return in October helped West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) advance its total return over the last 25 years to 8,869%.
| Symbol | Name | 25 Year Price Return | 25 Year Total Return | Dividend Yield | Dividend | Market Cap | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TPL | Texas Pacific Land Corp. | 39281.54% | 49477.68% | 0.82% | $0.60 | 19.70B | Energy |
| CMI | Cummins, Inc. | 6288.89% | 11002.97% | 1.73% | $2.20 | 65.32B | Industrials |
| WST | West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. | 6664.26% | 8868.64% | 0.22% | $0.26 | 28.45B | Health Care |
| JBHT | J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. | 6336.10% | 8046.49% | 0.79% | $0.45 | 21.03B | Industrials |
| BMI | Badger Meter, Inc. | 5247.03% | 7532.40% | 0.99% | $0.44 | 4.734B | Information Technology |
| CASY | Casey's General Stores, Inc. | 5363.37% | 6686.05% | 0.36% | $0.65 | 24.84B | Consumer Staples |
| HWKN | Hawkins, Inc. | 3887.71% | 6679.81% | 0.49% | $0.20 | 3.229B | Materials |
| OZK | Bank OZK | 3351.45% | 5893.82% | 3.67% | $0.49 | 5.653B | Financials |
| SHW | The Sherwin-Williams Co. | 3996.18% | 5746.98% | 0.88% | $0.80 | 87.42B | Materials |
| TTC | The Toro Co. | 3926.48% | 5406.16% | 1.45% | $0.39 | 10.19B | Industrials |
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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 $69K.
A $10,000 investment into the best-performing dividend stock in the last 10 years, Texas Pacific Land Corp, 10 years ago would be worth over $125K today on a total return basis. Right behind TPL was Microsoft; investing $10,000 into MSFT back in 2016 would’ve turned into $98,090 with dividend reinvestment.
These two top performers, along with Caterpillar (CAT), Cintas Corp (CTAS), and Hawkins Inc achieved at least twice the return of the S&P 500 Total Return over the last ten years.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
What was the methodology behind finding the best-performing stocks over these time periods?
The YCharts Stock Screener was used to find the best-performing stocks within the S&P High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index over the last year, three years, five years, ten years, and 25 years, as well as the best performers YTD. The stock screener narrowed the entire universe of over 39,000 equities to just those within the S&P High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index. Then, the remaining stocks were sorted by total returns in descending order for each time period, and the 10 best performers over each time period were used.
What is the difference between Price Return and Total Return?
Price Return is the change in price over a specific period of time displayed as a percentage. Total Return is the change in price over a specific period of time, reflecting dividends and distributions that are assumed to be reinvested on their payment dates, net of the expense ratio.
Do these returns include reinvested dividends?
Each performance chart shows Total Return, which includes the impact of reinvested dividends. Data tables show both price return and total return figures.
Where can I find best-performing stocks based on sector, industry, country, or other criteria?
Find ideal investment choices using your custom criteria with the YCharts Stock Screener. Create custom formulas to narrow a large equity universe to a manageable list of candidates that meet your strategy criteria, or leverage pre-built screens within the tool to kickstart investment research.
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