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Exclusive Story
3 Quiet Outperformers Boosting Dividends as Markets RetreatWritten by Leo Miller. Article 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.
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While the broader market — and tech stocks in particular — have hit a skid 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 giving income investors more to like by substantially boosting their dividends. That combination of share appreciation alongside healthy and rising yields makes all three appealing candidates for portfolios seeking some downside protection against further weakness 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 large producer of meat products and livestock, with a strong emphasis on pork and hogs. The company went public in early 2025 and has performed impressively since, with shares up about 40% from their IPO price of $20. Including its sizable dividend yield, the stock’s total return since the IPO is near 50%, far outperforming the S&P 500’s approximately 11% return over the same period. The shares mounted a particularly strong run in late March into early April, rising roughly 20% over about two trading weeks after the company released its Q4 2025 results. Smithfield beat analyst expectations on sales and significantly surpassed estimates for adjusted earnings per share (EPS). Management’s guidance points to another solid year ahead. While Smithfield expects sales growth to moderate, it forecasts continued margin expansion driven by a shift toward higher-margin, value-added products and operational improvements. The company also announced a substantial 25% dividend increase. Its quarterly payment will rise to $0.3125, for a full-year payout of $1.25 per share. Smithfield expects to pay its next quarterly dividend on April 21 to shareholders of record on April 7. Overall, that implies an indicated dividend yield of roughly 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 stock has performed well over the past 52 weeks, delivering a total return of nearly 30%. While the S&P 500 is down several percentage points in 2026, TJX shares are up about 5%. Sales rose 7% year over year (YOY) in 2025, a notable acceleration versus the 4% growth seen in 2024. Underscoring management’s confidence, the company plans to open 146 new stores in 2026 (fiscal 2027). TJX also plans to return significant capital to shareholders. The company announced a 13% dividend increase, moving its quarterly payment to $0.48 per share. That pushes the stock’s indicated dividend yield to about 1.2%, slightly above the S&P 500’s roughly 1.1% yield. The next quarterly dividend is scheduled for June 4 to shareholders of record on May 14. Additionally, TJX plans to spend $2.5 billion to $2.75 billion on stock buybacks in 2026. At the midpoint that represents just under 1.5% of the company’s ~ $180 billion market cap. While not massive, the repurchase 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 brands such as Kay Jewelers, Zales and Jared. The stock has been a strong performer over the past 52 weeks, gaining roughly 40%. Shares jumped nearly 14% after the company’s Q4 report for fiscal 2026. Revenue of $2.35 billion was in line with expectations, and the company posted a solid beat on adjusted EPS, which came in at $6.25. Signet’s free cash flow rose about 20% year over year — its strongest free cash flow growth since 2021 and well above the 4% growth seen in 2024. The company also supported its stock through buybacks, repurchasing 7% of shares in 2025 via $205 million of repurchases — nearly a 50% increase from the prior year. Signet still has $518 million of remaining buyback capacity, giving it scope to continue meaningful repurchases. Management reiterated on the earnings call that it believes “shares remain attractive,” a stance reinforced by a recent increase to the company’s payout. Signet announced a more than 9% dividend increase, raising its quarterly payout to $0.35 per share. That moves the stock’s indicated yield to just under 1.7%. Despite variable annual results, 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 three stocks, Wall Street analysts appear most confident in Signet’s prospects. The MarketBeat consensus price target of $112 implies more than 25% upside from current levels. Updated price targets after the latest earnings report are slightly lower at about $107. It’s worth noting, however, that Signet has relatively limited analyst coverage compared with many other stocks, which makes this gauge somewhat less robust. |
