Analysts identify five promising dividend-paying stocks

2 articles · Updated · Barron's · Apr 30

The picks are Booking Holdings, Expedia, Synchrony Financial, Newmont and Agnico Eagle Mines, selected as the S&P 500 sits nearly 5% higher this year.
The screen favoured companies worth at least $10bn that raised dividends, had low payout ratios, net debt at or below 1.3 times expected 2026 Ebitda, and relatively cheap forward valuations.
The idea is to offer investors alternatives to data-centre-linked winners, after semiconductor and industrial shares surged on AI infrastructure demand but face risks if big tech slows spending.

With AI spending projected to soar, is shifting from tech a misguided bet against a historic investment boom?

Is this dividend strategy a prudent hedge or a premature retreat from the market's strongest growth engine?

As data centers face real-world energy limits, are these undervalued dividend stocks the smarter long-term play?