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Additional Reading from MarketBeat
3 Quiet Outperformers Boosting Dividends as Markets RetreatWritten by Leo Miller. Date Posted: 4/6/2026. 
Key Points
- Elevated volatility has seen the S&P 500 lose around 5% from its highs, while the ongoing tech selloff has seen the sector fall around 10%.
- However, across food and retail, three inconspicuous names are providing significant gains to investors as risk-on assets continue to lag.
- These stocks are also substantially increasing their dividends, and two are engaging in considerable buyback spending, which comes as a vote of confidence for investors.
- Special Report: Have $500? Invest in Elon’s AI Masterplan
While the broader market — and tech stocks in particular — have cooled recently, three under-the-radar names are outperforming the major indices. Each is showing solid underlying business improvements, and investors are taking notice. At the same time, these companies are making income investors sit up by increasing their dividends. The combination of share appreciation and rising yields makes all three appealing for portfolios seeking some protection against further downside in the S&P 500 and NASDAQ. Smithfield Foods Announces Massive Dividend Boost, Yield Well Above 4%
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Smithfield Foods (NASDAQ: SFD) is a major producer of meat products and livestock with a strong focus on pork and hogs. The company went public in early 2025 and has performed impressively since: shares are roughly 40% above their IPO price of $20. Including dividends, the stock’s total return since the IPO is near 50%, well ahead of the S&P 500’s roughly 11% return over the same period. The stock rallied strongly in late March and early April, gaining about 20% over roughly two trading weeks after the company released its Q4 2025 earnings. Smithfield beat analyst expectations on sales and significantly exceeded estimates for adjusted earnings per share (EPS). Management’s guidance points to another solid year. While sales growth is expected to moderate, the company forecasts continued margin expansion driven by a shift toward higher-margin, value-added products and ongoing operational improvements. Smithfield also announced a substantial 25% dividend increase. The quarterly payment will rise to $0.3125, for an annual payout of $1.25 per share. The company expects to pay the next quarterly dividend on April 21 to shareholders of record on April 7, giving the stock an indicated dividend yield of about 4.4%. TJX Companies Issues 13% Dividend Increase as Store Expansion ContinuesTJX Companies (NYSE: TJX) is a leading off-price retailer known for chains like TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods. This partially defensive business has done well over the past 52 weeks, delivering a total return near 30%. While the S&P 500 is down by several percentage points in 2026, TJX shares are up about 5%. Sales rose 7% year over year in 2025, accelerating from the 4% growth seen in 2024. The company plans to open 146 new stores in 2026 (fiscal 2027), underscoring management’s confidence in continued expansion. TJX is also returning meaningful capital to shareholders. Management announced a 13% dividend increase, raising the quarterly payout to $0.48 per share. That lifts the stock’s indicated dividend yield to roughly 1.2%, slightly above the S&P 500’s ~1.1% yield. The next quarterly dividend is scheduled for June 4 to shareholders of record on May 14. In addition, TJX plans $2.5 billion to $2.75 billion in share repurchases for 2026. At the midpoint, buybacks would represent just under 1.5% of the company’s roughly $180 billion market cap. While not enormous, the program should provide a meaningful tailwind to metrics like adjusted EPS. Signet: Shares, Buybacks, and Dividends Are on the RiseThe world’s largest diamond jewelry retailer, Signet Jewelers (NYSE: SIG), operates well-known chains including Kay Jewelers, Zales and Jared. The stock has been a standout over the past year, gaining about 40%, and received nearly a 14% boost after its Q4 FY2026 earnings report. Revenue of $2.35 billion came in line with expectations, while adjusted EPS of $6.25 beat estimates. Free cash flow increased by roughly 20% year over year — the company’s strongest free cash flow growth since 2021 and well above the 4% growth recorded in 2024. Signet also supported its stock through buybacks, repurchasing shares equal to about 7% of the float via $205 million of repurchases in 2025 — nearly a 50% increase year over year. The company still has $518 million of buyback capacity remaining, giving management flexibility to continue reducing shares. During its earnings call, management reiterated its view that “shares remain attractive,” a stance reinforced by recent shareholder returns. The company announced a more than 9% dividend increase, raising the quarterly payout to $0.35 per share. That moves the indicated yield to just under 1.7%. Despite some variability in performance, Signet has consistently raised its dividend in recent years; since fiscal 2022 (roughly calendar 2021), its dividend has grown at an approximate compound annual rate of 21%. Analysts Eye Further Upside in SIGAmong these names, Wall Street analysts are most upbeat on Signet. The MarketBeat consensus price target of $112 implies more than 25% upside from current levels. Independent price targets updated after the latest earnings cluster slightly lower, near $107. It’s worth noting, however, that Signet has less analyst coverage than many other stocks, which makes these price-target signals somewhat less robust. |
