At Morningstar, we think that the best dividend stocks aren’t simply the highest-yielding dividend stocks. We suggest that investors look beyond a stock’s yield and instead choose stocks with durable dividends and buy those stocks when they’re undervalued.

“It’s really critical to be selective when it comes to buying dividend-paying stocks and chasing yield,” explains Dan Lefkovitz, a strategist for Morningstar Indexes. “Looking for the most yield-rich areas of the market can often lead you into troubled areas and dividend traps—companies that have a nice-looking yield that is ultimately unsustainable. You have to screen for dividend durability and reliability going forward.”

David Harrell, the editor of Morningstar DividendInvestor, suggests focusing on companies with management teams that are supportive of their dividend strategies and favoring companies with competitive advantages, or economic moats.

“A moat rating does not guarantee dividends, of course, but we have seen some very strong correlations between economic moats and dividend durability,” Harrell says.

Given ongoing economic uncertainty and stock market volatility, investors looking for the best dividend stocks might consider adding undervalued, quality dividend stocks to their portfolios. After all, quality companies have the financial stability to maintain their dividends during questionable economic periods, and price risk is reduced when investors can buy the stocks of these companies on the cheap.

10 best US dividend stocks to buy

To find the best dividend stocks, we turn to the Morningstar Dividend Yield Focus Index. The dividend stocks on this list are among the index’s top constituents, and they were also undervalued by at least 5% as of Oct. 4, 2024.

Here’s a little bit about each cheap dividend stock, along with some key Morningstar metrics. All data is through Oct. 4.

ExxonMobil

  • Morningstar Rating: 3 stars
  • Morningstar Economic Moat Rating: Narrow
  • Morningstar Uncertainty Rating: High
  • Trailing Dividend Yield: 3.04%
  • Industry: Oil and Gas Integrated

Exxon Mobil tops our list of the best dividend stocks to buy. Unlike peers that are diverting investment to renewables to achieve long-term carbon intensity reduction targets, Exxon remains committed to oil and gas, explains Morningstar director Allen Good. “While this strategy is unlikely to win praise from environmentally oriented investors, we think it’s more likely to be more successful and probably holds less risk,” he adds. Exxon qualifies as a dividend aristocrat; dividend aristocrats are those companies that have raised their dividends for 25 consecutive years or more. We think the stock is worth $135, and shares trade 8% below that.

Chevron

  • Morningstar Rating: 4 stars
  • Morningstar Economic Moat Rating: Narrow
  • Morningstar Uncertainty Rating: High
  • Trailing Dividend Yield: 4.25%
  • Industry: Oil and Gas Integrated

The second of two energy companies on this month’s list of the best dividend stocks to invest in, Chevron is trading 14% below our fair value estimate of $176 per share. The second-largest oil company in the United States, Chevron plans to acquire Hess but arbitration around the acquisition has been pushed to 2025, adding some uncertainty to the stock. We think the stock looks attractive nonetheless, says Morningstar’s Good. “We think Chevron has a compelling investment case without Hess, but with it, Chevron has another long-term growth leg it’s currently lacking,” he says. The company also qualifies as a dividend aristocrat.

AT&T

  • Morningstar Rating: 3 stars
  • Morningstar Economic Moat Rating: Narrow
  • Morningstar Uncertainty Rating: Medium
  • Trailing Dividend Yield: 5.07%
  • Industry: Telecom Services

AT&T stock trades 5% below our $23 fair value estimate. Morningstar director Mike Hodel argues that the company’s recently announced sale of DirecTV will allow it to sharpen its focus on wireless and broadband. AT&T’s dividend consumed about 50% of free cash flow in 2023. “We think the dividend policy makes sense, leaving substantial excess cash to reduce leverage and make network investments, which we believe is vital to AT&T’s long-term health,” explains Hodel.

Merck

  • Morningstar Rating: 3 stars
  • Morningstar Economic Moat Rating: Wide
  • Morningstar Uncertainty Rating: Medium
  • Trailing Dividend Yield: 2.81%
  • Industry: Drug Manufacturers—General

Merck is the first wide-moat company on our list of the best dividend stocks to invest in, with its stock trading 9% below our fair value estimate of $120 per share. “Patents, economies of scale, and a powerful intellectual base buoy Merck’s business and keep it well shielded from the competition,” says Morningstar director Karen Andersen. The company’s balance sheet is sound and carries low risk. We expect steady future dividends, supported by a payout ratio of close to 50% relative to adjusted earnings per share, she adds.

PepsiCo

  • Morningstar Rating: 3 stars
  • Morningstar Economic Moat Rating: Wide
  • Morningstar Uncertainty Rating: Low
  • Trailing Dividend Yield: 3.12%
  • Industry: Beverages—Nonalcoholic

Pepsi is the third dividend aristocrat on this month’s list of the best dividend stocks to buy. We think Pepsi stock is worth $176, and shares trade 5% below that. Despite near-term headwinds from consumer belt-tightening in the US, we think PepsiCo remains poised to bolster its competitive standing in beverages and snacks by leveraging marketing and product initiatives, reports Morningstar analyst Dan Su. We expect Pepsi’s payout ratio to rise to 72% and dividend payments to increase 7% annually over the next decade, says Su.

Altria

  • Morningstar Rating: 4 stars
  • Morningstar Economic Moat Rating: Wide
  • Morningstar Uncertainty Rating: Medium
  • Trailing Dividend Yield: 7.90%
  • Industry: Tobacco

The highest-yielding stock on this month’s list of the best dividend stocks to buy, Altria is trading 14% below our fair value estimate of $58 per share. The leading tobacco maker in the United States, the company’s attempts to diversify from cigarettes have fallen flat, argues Morningstar strategist Kris Inton. We nevertheless expect Altria to continue to increase prices to blunt volume declines and still eke out top-line growth. The company targets mid-single-digit dividend growth annually.

Medtronic

  • Morningstar Rating: 4 stars
  • Morningstar Economic Moat Rating: Narrow
  • Morningstar Uncertainty Rating: Medium
  • Trailing Dividend Yield: 3.15%
  • Industry: Medical Devices

Medtronic stock trades 21% below our $112 fair value estimate. The largest pure-play medical-device maker is a key partner for its hospital customers, thanks to its diversified product portfolio aimed at a wide range of chronic diseases, Morningstar senior analyst Debbie Wang explains. The company aims to return a minimum of 50% of its annual free cash flow to shareholders but has been in the 60% to 70% range in recent years, says Wang. Medtronic has raised its dividend for 46 consecutive years, earning it dividend aristocrat status.

Dow

  • Morningstar Rating: 4 stars
  • Morningstar Economic Moat Rating: Narrow
  • Morningstar Uncertainty Rating: Medium
  • Trailing Dividend Yield: 5.06%
  • Industry: Chemicals

Dow is the most undervalued stock on our list of the best dividend stocks to buy, trading 23% below our $72 fair value estimate. One of the largest chemicals producers in the world, Dow has carved out a narrow economic moat owing to the cost advantages of its ethylene and propylene manufacturing operations in North America. Recent results were weighed down by the firm’s industrial intermediates and infrastructure segment because of soft construction activity, explains Morningstar strategist Seth Goldstein. The company has paid dividends of $2.80 per share in the past three years, which we expect it will maintain moving forward.

LyondellBasell

  • Morningstar Rating: 4 stars
  • Morningstar Economic Moat Rating: Narrow
  • Morningstar Uncertainty Rating: Medium
  • Trailing Dividend Yield: 5.35%
  • Industry: Specialty Chemicals

LyondellBasell is trading 18% beneath our $118 fair value estimate. This petrochemical producer is the world’s largest producer of polypropylene. We think the company has carved out a narrow economic moat based on its cost advantages, explains Morningstar’s Goldstein. The company has increased its annual dividend payment for the past 12 years straight, averaging about 12.5% growth per year since 2012. “Management prioritizes dividend growth as a part of its capital allocation strategy,” adds Goldstein.

T. Rowe Price

  • Morningstar Rating: 3 stars
  • Morningstar Economic Moat Rating: Narrow
  • Morningstar Uncertainty Rating: High
  • Trailing Dividend Yield: 4.55%
  • Industry: Asset Management

T. Rowe Price rounds out our list of the best dividend stocks to buy, trading 6% below our $115 fair value estimate. We think T. Rowe Price is one of the better positioned US-based traditional asset managers on the active side of the business, notes Morningstar strategist Gregg Warren. The company’s dividend payout rests at the upper end of the 45%-55% range we’ve seen historically, but management remains committed to using the firm’s strong financial position to grow its dividend, adds Warren. T. Rowe Price is also a dividend aristocrat.

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