3 Dividend Stocks Raising Payouts—and Backing It Up With Results
Not all dividends are paid out equally; some companies try to create a “trap” by overpaying on a quarter’s dividend, attracting buyers through a short-term high dividend yield that seems too good to pass up. The realization comes much later, though, that these companies can’t afford these payouts, straining the financial profile altogether and having to decrease or cancel these dividends later.
Today’s list of dividend increases focuses on the exact opposite of this situation. These companies and their solid fundamentals demonstrate that they can not only afford today’s increases but also continue to reward shareholders with rising income potential in the coming quarters and years.
This should also generate demand and upside for the stock itself during a market filled with macroeconomic uncertainty.
This is why considering names like Clorox Co. (NYSE: CLX), Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC), and Sunoco LP (NYSE: SUN) can be an excellent combination for investors to keep in their dividend income watchlists. This group, which includes financial sector, consumer staples, and energy stocks, provides enough diversification and financial strength to carry portfolios forward.
Clorox Stock’s Discount Makes a Great Yield
Now that shares of Clorox have fallen to 72% of their 52-week high, their attractive dividend payout has only become more of a target after a recent increase. As stocks in other (hotter) market areas take the bulk of the bullish price action and attention, it makes sense to see a more stable company like Clorox fall behind.
However, this is precisely when a competent management team typically lays out further shareholder benefits, rewarding those willing to stick around for the “bad” times in the price performance. Now paying $4.88 per dividend share, Clorox investors can enjoy a 3.94% dividend yield today.
Although not the highest and still below the benchmark 10-year treasury bond yields of 4.2%, this dividend provides an added benefit to the upside that can be achieved by buying Clorox stock today. Even though Wall Street analysts rate the stock as a Reduce, recent data may soon change that.
The company’s latest quarterly earnings show a net earnings per share (EPS) figure of $2.87, representing a significant beat over the expected $2.24 number from Wall Street, showing analysts that their current valuations and assumptions may have been on the more conservative side, and calling for a revision (likely higher).
Strong Outlooks Boost Wells Fargo’s Payout
Now that the market expects the Federal Reserve (the Fed) to lower interest rates in late 2025, sharp investors can directly spot the benefits of investing in a commercial bank like Wells Fargo, since lower rates typically translate to more demand for credit products like mortgages and credit cards.
Of course, it should raise the bank’s expected EPS figures, which it has. Wall Street analysts now expect to see a report $1.73 in EPS for the second quarter of 2026, an increase of 12% above today’s $1.54 in reported EPS, which was also a beat over the expected $1.41.
Chances are, these forecasts for next year are also conservative, setting Wells Fargo up for another beat. With this confidence in mind, and the right macro backdrop, the bank’s management boosted its dividend payout to $1.8 per share, or an annualized yield of 2.3%.
While not the most exciting yield, investors should take this as a sign of stable and strong financials, with some upside added. With a current forward price-to-earnings (P/E) valuation of 12.6x, Wells Fargo stock is well below its longer-term average of 18.0x, giving investors a decent gap to be closed on the upside.
The Best of Both Worlds: Sunoco Stock
As oil prices remain low for an extended period, more investors will likely overlook energy stocks like Sunoco. However, management is aware of the cyclical nature of oil and is already preparing its shareholders for a reality check.
After boosting its dividend payout to $3.63 per share, investors can now beat the benchmark and any inflation fears through an annualized yield of 6.68% today. The stock's ability to afford this much of an increase and also trade at 90% of its 52-week high may have given Wall Street analysts something to think about.
That thought led to a consensus rating making Sunoco stock a Buy, with Jeremy Tonet from JPMorgan Chase & Co. giving a new valuation target slightly above consensus for $67 per share, which also implies an additional 25% upside potential from where the stock trades today, giving investors the best of both income and upside potential benefits.
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