5 Dividend Growth Stocks to Buy Amid Rising Inflation Risk

Core Insights - All three major U.S. stock indices closed down over 1%, driven by investor concerns about persistent inflation and the Federal Reserve's decision to keep rates unchanged amid rising Middle East tensions and surging oil prices [1] - The February Producer Price Index (PPI) indicated that wholesale price increases are harder to control than anticipated, disappointing expectations for a smooth economic recovery [1] Dividend Growth Stocks - The appeal of high-beta growth stocks is diminishing, leading investors to favor steady dividend-growth stocks, which have a proven track record of increasing payouts and demonstrate balance sheet resilience [2] - Stocks with a strong history of year-over-year dividend growth can enhance portfolio resilience and offer greater potential for capital appreciation compared to simple dividend-paying or high-yield stocks [3] - Selected dividend growth stocks include Flowserve (FLS), Analog Devices (ADI), Broadcom (AVGO), NVIDIA (NVDA), and TIM S.A. (TIMB), which are considered solid choices for investment [3] Advantages of Dividend Growth - Stocks with a strong history of dividend growth belong to mature companies, providing a hedge against economic or political uncertainty and stock market volatility [4] - These stocks exhibit strong fundamentals, including sustainable business models, profitability, rising cash flows, solid liquidity, strong balance sheets, and attractive valuations [5] - Although these stocks may not have the highest yields, they have historically outperformed the broader market and other dividend-paying stocks [6] Selection Criteria for Stocks - Criteria for selecting dividend-growth stocks include: - 5-Year Historical Dividend Growth Greater Than Zero [7] - 5-Year Historical Sales Growth Greater Than Zero [7] - 5-Year Historical EPS Growth Greater Than Zero [7] - Next 3-5 Year EPS Growth Rate Greater Than Zero [7] - Price/Cash Flow Less Than Industry Median [8] - 52-Week Price Change Greater Than S&P 500 [8] Specific Stock Insights - Flowserve (FLS): Expected 2026 revenue growth of 6.3%, long-term earnings growth rate of 11%, and annual dividend yield of 1.13% [11] - Analog Devices (ADI): Anticipated 2026 revenue growth of 25.1%, long-term earnings growth rate of 19.4%, and annual dividend yield of 1.43% [13] - Broadcom (AVGO): Projected 2026 revenue growth of 58%, long-term earnings growth rate of 48.6%, and annual dividend yield of 0.82% [14] - NVIDIA (NVDA): Expected 2027 revenue growth of 60%, long-term earnings growth rate of 39.1%, and annual dividend yield of 0.02% [15] - TIM S.A. (TIMB): Forecasted 2026 revenue growth of 11.8%, long-term earnings growth rate of 20.8%, and annual dividend yield of 5.37% [16]