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Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights: Cardinal Health, Taiwan Semiconductor and Altria

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – August 29, 2024 – Today, Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights Cardinal Health (CAH - Free Report) , Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM - Free Report) and Altria (MO - Free Report) .

 

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3 Consistent Dividend-Growers to Buy for Passive Income: TSM, MO, CAH

Everybody loves dividends, as they provide a passive income stream, limit drawdowns in other positions, and provide more than one way to profit from an investment.

And when considering dividend-paying stocks, those with a history of boosting their payout are prime considerations, reflecting their commitment to increasingly rewarding shareholders.

In addition, consistent dividend hikes reflect the company’s successful nature, opting to share profits with shareholders.

For those seeking companies that have consistently boosted payouts over time, Cardinal Health, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and Altria fit the criteria. Let’s take a closer look at each.

 

Cardinal Health Posts Strong Growth

Cardinal Health is a nationwide drug distributor and provider of services to pharmacies, healthcare providers, and manufacturers. It recently enjoyed a strong quarter, posting 29% EPS growth on the back of 12% higher sales while also lifting its current year guidance.

The company’s sales growth has been consistent throughout its history.

Strong cash-generating abilities have given it the flexibility to continuously reward shareholders, holding a spot in the elite Dividend Aristocrats club. For a quick refresher, Dividend Aristocrats are S&P 500 companies that have upped quarterly payouts for at least 25 consecutive years.

Impressively, CAH posted record operating and free cash flow throughout its latest period.

 

TSM Shares Benefit from AI Trade

Taiwan Semiconductor, a current Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), has seen its earnings outlook shift bullishly across the board following favorable quarterly results that reflect rock-solid demand. Concerning headline figures in the latest print, TSM saw 30% EPS growth on 33% higher sales, continuing its recent growth trajectory.

The company has long been a favorite among income-focused investors who are also seeking chip exposure, carrying a 5.5% five-year annualized dividend growth rate. Shares have overall benefited nicely on the back of the semiconductor trade fueled by AI this year, up more than 60%.

Though shares have had a strong run in 2024, investors aren’t overpaying for the company’s forecasted growth, with the current 0.8X PEG ratio reflecting a considerable discount to the 1.3X five-year median and five-year highs of 3.4X.

 

Altria Undergoes Transformation

Like CAH, Altria has long been a favorite among income-focused investors, also holding the ranks of a Dividend Aristocrat through years of consistently higher payouts. The tobacco giant has undergone significant transformation over recent years due to rising health fears, now expanding into the smokeless category.

Shares have been red-hot in 2024, gaining 37% compared to the S&P 500’s 19% gain.

And for those seeking high yields, Altria shares have got that covered with a current 7.4% annual yield. The company’s six dividend hikes over the past five years have translated to a 4% five-year annualized dividend growth rate, owing to its commitment to increasingly rewarding shareholders.

The company paid dividends of $1.7 billion and $3.4 billion in the second quarter and first half of 2024, respectively.

 

Bottom Line

Everybody loves dividends, essentially investors’ form of payday. They can help limit drawdowns in other positions and provide a passive income stream, two key traits that all market participants enjoy.

And for those seeking companies with a consistent history of steady payouts, all three above fit the criteria.

All three recently upped their quarterly payouts, continuing their shareholder-friendly nature.

 

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.


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Altria Group, Inc. (MO) - free report >>

Cardinal Health, Inc. (CAH) - free report >>

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. (TSM) - free report >>

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