All posts by PARKERYL

​Although the cryptocurrency market is filled with promising projects, not all have potential. Investors have admired Cardano (ADA) for its strong technology and long-term vision, but now a new altcoin is gaining traction. Rexas Finance (RXS) is proving to be a game-changer. It has one of the most advanced blockchain ecosystems and combines real-world asset tokenization, making it the best altcoin to buy currently. With the presale getting a lot of attention and nearing completion and investor interest skyrocketing, Rexas Finance is bound to have massive price shifts in the upcoming months.

The Power of Real-World Asset Tokenization

Tokenization of real-world assets (RWA) is one of the hallmark characteristics of Rexas Finance. This innovative concept can now turn tangible assets like real estate, commodities, and intellectual property into blockchain tokens with higher liquidity and much wider investor accessibility. Rexas Finance differs from the rest of the cryptocurrency ecosystem, which relies heavily on speculative conjectures and offers very little stability. RXS has real assets as its backing, giving it a layer of stability and utility that is unmatched in the industry and unlike anything else in the crypto market. Employing blockchain technology, Rexas Finance facilitates the fractional ownership of expensive assets, giving access to previously exclusive markets dominated by institutional investors. The democratization of asset ownership enhances liquidity and promotes a more multicultural financial system. Owing to regulatory changes facilitating broader market access, Rexas Finance is set to take advantage of the surge in tokenized real-world assets.

Unmatched Presale Success and Tokenomics Strength

Rexas Finance is making headway in the industry, as observed in the presale portion of its project, which has already raised more than $46.6 million, with 90.63% of tokens sold. This type of fundraising shows investors’ confidence in the project and its future potential. RXS’s structured tokenomics also contribute heavily to stability and growth, with a balanced allocation for long-term sustainability. Of the total supply, 42.5% is allocated to the presale, 22.5% is for incentivizing long-term holding through staking pools, and 15% is reserved for liquidity to facilitate market entry during the launch. The project also completed a Certik audit, adding an extra layer of security and transparency that increases investor confidence. With strong market expectations upon listing, RXS is set to launch at a price of $0.25 on June 19, 2025.

A Thriving Ecosystem of Decentralized Applications

Apart from its advanced tokenization capabilities, Rexas Finance is developing a complete ecosystem incorporating DApps for utility improvement and platform adoption. DeFi functionalities like lending, staking, and cross-chain swapping are present in the ecosystem. These make it easy for users to take full advantage of their crypto assets in a safe and efficient financial ecosystem.  The ecosystem is remarkable due mainly to the decentralized launchpad, which enables new blockchain projects to raise capital and deploy tokens in a secured environment. This is what makes Rexas’ ecosystem truly special. It enables Rexas Finance to become more than just an opportunity for investment, rather, it serves as a fully integrated ecosystem that promotes development and innovation in the crypto world. In combining all these factors, RXS is creating an ecosystem that is shielded from speculation and, hence, benefits users in real terms.

Community Engagement and Incentivized Growth

Rexas Finance knows that the success of any cryptocurrency project relies heavily on the community, so they strive to keep their investors and backers engaged—which has brought a lot of attention to RXS. They have launched a $1 million giveaway, which is fueling a frenzy of new investors across the board. To be eligible for the giveaway, users must first purchase a minimum of $100 worth of the presale, guaranteeing increased demand while promoting long-term loyalty from the early adopters. The service’s transparent approach to development and updates, along with regular communication, enables the project to remain on track toward achieving its goals, strengthening the Rexas community. As more users engage and the ecosystem expands, RXS’s value increases, making it an attractive investment.

Conclusion

As Cardano retains its crypto market share, Rexas Finance appears to have exponential growth potential. The tokenization of real-world assets, an ever-growing DApp ecosystem, and a highly successful presale position it as the prominent altcoin of 2025. Currently trading at $0.20, RXS is expected to grow substantially in the coming months due to the strong investor backing and gradual bull market. Rexas Finance appears to be leading the revolution in blockchain technology and finance, which makes it one of the most appealing altcoins to buy today.

For more information about Rexas Finance (RXS) visit the links below:

Website: https://rexas.com

Win $1 Million Giveaway: https://bit.ly/Rexas1M

Whitepaper: https://rexas.com/rexas-whitepaper.pdf

Twitter/X: https://x.com/rexasfinance

Telegram: https://t.me/rexasfinance

​Disclaimer: The views and opinions presented in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CoinCheckup. The content of this article should not be considered as investment advice. Always do your own research before deciding to buy, sell or transfer any crypto assets. Past returns do not always guarantee future profits.

Nvidia (NVDA) is set to kick off its weeklong GPU Technology Conference in San Jose, California on Monday, with a keynote address from CEO Jensen Huang on Tuesday.

Investors and analysts will likely be watching for updates on the company’s latest artificial intelligence chips, upcoming releases, and developments in gaming and robotics.

The AI chipmaker is expected to showcase its Blackwell Ultra GB300 family of chips, which Deutsche Bank analysts said is expected to deliver over 50% more memory capacity and significantly higher performance than its earlier Blackwell offerings. The timing of GB300’s rollout will be a focus, the analysts said, particularly as Nvidia has faced delays in fully ramping up Blackwell production.

Nvidia could also offer more details on its Rubin GPU, the successor to Blackwell expected in 2026, along with its associated Vera CPU, and the Rubin Vera platform. It’s possible Huang’s keynote could offer breadcrumbs at what lies a generation beyond Rubin, analysts said.

GTC comes as Nvidia’s stock has fallen nearly 10% so far in 2025, creating a “compelling valuation” heading into the conference, analysts at Bank of America said. The analysts reiterated a “buy” rating and $200 price target, above the average of analysts tracked by Visible Alpha. The consensus target at $177 would suggest over 45% upside from Nvidia’s closing price of $121.67 Friday.

UPDATE—March 14, 2025: This article has been updated since it was first published to reflect more recent share price values.

Meta Platforms (META) shares jumped on Friday amid a broader market rally, after logging their biggest one-day drop since July the previous session.

The social media giant’s stock has come under pressure over the past month as the broader market has tumbled, with Big Tech stocks suffering outsize losses amid concerns about lofty valuations and slowing growth. Meta shares are down 18% from their record high set in mid-February.

However, Meta is the only member of the Magnificent Seven group of mega-cap technology stocks that remains in positive territory for 2025. The stock is up nearly 4% since the start of the year, while each of the other Mag 7 stocks is down at least 8%.

Below, we break down the technicals on Meta’s chart and identify major price levels worth watching out for amid the possibility for further price swings.

Ascending Channel Breakdown

Meta shares staged a decisive breakdown below an ascending channel on Monday before the price retested the pattern’s lower trendline in Wednesday’s trading session. Bears used the bounce as an opportunity to accelerate selling yesterday, before today’s recovery.

Meanwhile, the relative strength index (RSI) confirms weak price momentum with a reading near its August lows, though looming oversold conditions may trigger short-term recovery rallies in the stock. 

Let’s use technical analysis to locate major support and resistance levels that investors may be monitoring.

Crucial Resistance Levels to Track

Meta shares rose 3% on Friday to close at $607.60, after falling nearly 5% yesterday.

The first overhead level to monitor is $635, an area that provides a confluence of resistance from the ascending channel’s lower trendline that sits alongside peaks which formed on the chart in December and January.

A convincing close above this level may see bulls make another run at the $740 level, a location on the chart where Meta shares would likely attract significant attention near their all-time high (ATH).

Major Support Levels to Watch

The first support level to watch sits around $535. The shares could find buying interest in this area near a multi-month trendline that connects three prominent peaks on the chart between April and August last year.

Selling below this important technical level could see the stock revisit lower support at the $460 level. Investors who favor buy-and-hold strategies may look for entry points in this region near the low of a consolidation period that followed last year’s February breakaway gap, a location that also roughly aligns with the July and August troughs.

The comments, opinions, and analyses expressed on Investopedia are for informational purposes only. Read our warranty and liability disclaimer for more info.

As of the date this article was written, the author does not own any of the above securities.

This past Tuesday marked the five-year anniversary of when the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak to be a “pandemic.”

Following the news, investors panicked and the markets crashed. While this was five years ago, I want to bring this up today because the folks at Bespoke Investment Group recently pointed out that the S&P 500’s actions over the past three weeks have been eerily similar to the same three-week period in 2020.

You may recall that the S&P 500 peaked and hit a new all-time high on February 19, 2020, then plunged for three weeks. In 2020, the S&P 500 lost more than 19% during those three weeks as the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown intensified.

Now, I want to remind you that the same three-week period in 2025 has been terrible – but not nearly as horrible as 2020.

Consider this: The S&P 500 peaked and broke through to a new all-time high on February 19, 2025. Since then, the index dropped by about 10% by yesterday’s close, officially ending in “correction” territory. Now, a bounce back in the markets today may pull it out… for now, at least.

But the tech-heavy NASDAQ has been in full-blown correction territory for a few days now.

The point is, whether we’re talking about 2020 or today, one thing is clear: Uncertainty is the source of the selling.

Today, we’re once again looking at a grossly oversold stock market – and I know that you’re wondering if and when a rebound will occur.

Well, it could be happening now. The markets closed on an incredibly positive note today. But stocks often bounce back – by a lot – in market corrections before retesting lows.

So, in today’s Market 360, I’d like to take some time to talk about what corrections are, why the markets have been selling off lately and why you shouldn’t panic. Then, I’ll explain the catalyst that I think will turn this market around, starting next week…

​The cryptocurrency market remains in a state of consolidation following Bitcoin’s recent correction. After reaching an all-time high of $109,071 in January 2025, Bitcoin has pulled back to around $80,000, reflecting a short-term decline. Despite this correction, the broader sentiment for Bitcoin remains bullish, with analysts forecasting a potential climb to $122,000–$200,000 by the end of the year.

As Bitcoin stabilizes, many investors are shifting focus toward emerging crypto assets with higher growth potential. Historically, market consolidations have paved the way for altcoins and early-stage projects to thrive. One such project gaining attention is The Last Dwarfs ($TLD), a blockchain gaming ecosystem offering a compelling alternative for investors seeking exponential growth opportunities.

Bitcoin’s Value Action and Market Outlook

Bitcoin’s price action has been characterized by strong volatility, with recent price swings testing investor sentiment. After rallying to over $109,000, BTC has struggled to maintain momentum, with resistance forming near $84,000.

Despite this short-term turbulence, long-term projections remain positive. Institutional adoption continues to rise, regulatory frameworks are evolving, and macroeconomic factors suggest that Bitcoin’s growth trajectory is intact. Analysts widely anticipate that 2025 will be a bullish year for the crypto market, with Bitcoin’s potential for six-figure valuations acting as a catalyst for broader market gains.

However, as Bitcoin enters a consolidation phase, investors often diversify into high-growth opportunities, particularly in presale tokens and emerging blockchain projects that have yet to reach the mainstream market.

The Last Dwarfs ($TLD) – A Play-to-Invest Ecosystem with High Growth Potential

The Last Dwarfs ($TLD) is a full-fledged investment ecosystem. At its core, TLD offers a Play-to-Invest model that allows players to interact with the game while gaining early access to high-potential blockchain projects through its Gamified Launchpad. Players can mine in-game resources that hold real value, stake tokens for high-yield rewards, and participate in the exclusive token launchpad, where users gain allocations in upcoming crypto projects simply by playing. 

With its TON blockchain integration and exposure to Telegram’s 900M+ user base, The Last Dwarfs is positioned for mass adoption in a way that most presale projects cannot match.

Furthermore, while many blockchain projects struggle to deliver a working product even after their presales, The Last Dwarfs ($TLD) already has a live platform with an engaged community of over 300,000 users. This level of adoption is rare in the presale space, making $TLD a more credible and attractive investment compared to purely speculative tokens.

$TLD Presale: Stage 1 Sold Out, Stage 2 Gains Momentum

The presale for The Last Dwarfs has generated overwhelming demand, with Stage 1 selling out entirely. Now in Stage 2, tokens are priced at $0.00852, offering a limited-time entry point before the next price increase.

Investors who join now can still access 300% APY staking and a Ref2Earn bonus program, which offers 15% extra tokens for every referred purchase. With the blockchain gaming market projected to surpass $60 billion by 2028, The Last Dwarfs is capitalizing on one of the fastest-growing sectors in Web3, offering a presale opportunity with significant upside potential.

Final Thoughts – Is $TLD the Leading Crypto to Buy Right Now?

Bitcoin’s recent consolidation phase is leading investors to explore high-growth alternatives. While BTC remains the dominant crypto asset, its short-term price action has opened the door for early-stage projects that offer exponential potential. 

Among them, The Last Dwarfs ($TLD) stands out as one of the most compelling investment opportunities. With its working platform, active user base, and innovative model, $TLD is already demonstrating real adoption—something that most presale tokens fail to achieve.

As Stage 2 of the presale progresses, investors looking to secure their positions before wider market exposure may find that $TLD is one of the best crypto investments available right now. ​

Disclaimer: The views and opinions presented in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of CoinCheckup. The content of this article should not be considered as investment advice. Always do your own research before deciding to buy, sell or transfer any crypto assets. Past returns do not always guarantee future profits.

Updated on March 14th, 2025 by Bob Ciura

The Dividend Kings are the best-of-the-best in dividend longevity.

What is a Dividend King? A stock with 50 or more consecutive years of dividend increases.

The downloadable Dividend Kings Spreadsheet List below contains the following for each stock in the index among other important investing metrics:

• Payout ratio
• Dividend yield
• Price-to-earnings ratio

You can see the full downloadable spreadsheet of all 54 Dividend Kings (along with important financial metrics such as dividend yields, payout ratios, and price-to-earnings ratios) by clicking on the link below:

We typically rank stocks based on their five-year expected annual returns, as stated in the Sure Analysis Research Database.

But for investors primarily interested in income, it is also useful to rank the Dividend Kings according to their dividend yields.

This article will rank the 20 highest-yielding Dividend Kings today.

Table of Contents

High Yield Dividend King #20: Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)

Johnson & Johnson is a diversified health care company and a leader in the area of innovative medicines and medical devices Johnson & Johnson was founded in 1886 and employs nearly 132,000 people around the world.

On January 22nd, 2025, Johnson & Johnson announced fourth quarter and full year results for the period ending December 31st, 2024.

Source: Investor Presentation

For the quarter, revenue grew 5.1% to $22.5 billion, which beat estimates by $50 million. Adjusted earnings-per-share of $2.04 compared to $2.29 in the prior year, but this was $0.02 above expectations.

For the year, revenue grew 4.3% to $88.8 billion while adjusted earnings-per-share of $9.98 was up slightly from the prior year. Results included adjustments related to the costs of acquisitions.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on JNJ (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #19: AbbVie Inc. (ABBV)

AbbVie is a pharmaceutical company spun off by Abbott Laboratories (ABT) in 2013. Its most important product is Humira, now facing biosimilar competition in Europe and the U.S., which has had a noticeable impact on the company.

Even so, AbbVie remains a giant in the healthcare sector, with a large and diversified product portfolio.

Source: Investor Presentation

AbbVie reported its fourth quarter earnings results on January 31st. Quarterly revenue of $15.1 billion rose 6% year-over-year.

Revenue was positively impacted by growth from some of its newer drugs, including Skyrizi and Rinvoq, while Humira sales declined by 49% due to growing competition from biosimilars and market share losses.

AbbVie earned $2.16 per share during the fourth quarter, down 23% year-over-year. Earnings-per-share missed the consensus analyst estimate by $0.10. AbbVie expects to earn $12.12 – $12.32 on a per-share basis this year.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on AbbVie (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #18: SJW Group (SJW)

SJW Group is a water utility company that produces, purchases, stores, purifies and distributes water to consumers and businesses in the Silicon Valley area of California, the area north of San Antonio, Texas, Connecticut, and Maine.

SJW Group has a small real estate division that owns and develops properties for residential and warehouse customers in California and Tennessee. The company generates about $670 million in annual revenues.

On February 27th, 2025, SJW Group announced fourth quarter and full year results for the period ending December 31st, 2024. For the quarter, revenue improved 15.5% to $197.8 million, which topped expectations by $10.3 million.

Earnings-per-share of $0.74 compared favorably to earnings-per-share of $0.59 in the prior year and was $0.19 ahead of estimates. For the year, revenue grew 12% to $748.4 million while earnings-per-share of $2.87 compared to $2.68 in
2023.

For the quarter, higher water rates overall added $22.8 million to results and higher customer usage added $9.9 million while regulatory mechanisms lowered revenue totals by $7.1 million. Operating production expenses totaled $154.2 million, which was a 14% increase from the prior year.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on SJW (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #17: Consolidated Edison (ED)

Consolidated Edison is a large-cap utility stock. The company generates nearly $15 billion in annual revenue and has a market capitalization of approximately $36 billion.

The company serves 3.7 million electric customers, and another 1.1 million gas customers, in New York.

Source: Investor Presentation

It operates electric, gas, and steam transmission businesses, with a steam system that is the largest in the U.S.

On February 20th, 2025, Consolidated Edison announced fourth quarter and full year results for the period ending December 31st, 2024. For the quarter, revenue grew 6.5% to $3.7 billion, which beat estimates by $36 million.

Adjusted earnings of $340 million, or $0.98 per share, compared to adjusted earnings of $346 million, or $1.00 per share, in the previous year. Adjusted earnings-per-share were $0.02 ahead of expectations.

For the year, revenue increased 4.0% to $15.3 billion while adjusted earnings of $1.87 billion, or $5.40 per share, compared to adjusted earnings of $1.76 billion, or $5.07 per share, in 2023.

Average rate base balances are now projected to grow by 8.2% annually through 2029 based off 2025 levels. This is up from the company’s prior forecast of 6.4%.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on Consolidated Edison (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #16: Genuine Parts Company (GPC)

Genuine Parts has the world’s largest global auto parts network, with more than 10,800 locations worldwide. As a major distributor of automotive and industrial parts, Genuine Parts generates annual revenue of nearly $24 billion.

Source: Investor Presentation

It operates two segments, which are automotive (includes the NAPA brand) and the industrial parts group which sells industrial replacement parts to MRO (maintenance, repair, and operations) and OEM (original equipment manufacturer) customers.

Customers are derived from a wide range of segments, including food and beverage, metals and mining, oil and gas, and health care.

Genuine Parts posted fourth quarter and full-year earnings on February 18th, 2025, and results were better than expected on both the top and bottom lines. Adjusted earnings-per-share came to $1.61, which was six cents ahead of estimates.

Revenue was up 3.3% year-over-year to $5.8 billion, beating estimates by $90 million. The company noted acquisitions added 3.2% to sales, forex translation added 0.6%, and comparable sales fell 0.5%.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on GPC (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #15: Kenvue Inc. (KVUE)

Kenvue has three segments, including Self Care, Skin Health and Beauty, and Essential Health. Self Care’s product portfolio includes cough, cold, allergy, smoking cessation, and pain care products among others.

Skin Health and Beauty holds products such as face, body, hair, and sun care. Essential Health contains products for women’s health, wound care, oral care, and baby care.

Well-known brands in Kenvue’s product line up include Tylenol, Listerine, Band-Aid, Neutrogena, Nicorette, and Zyrtec.

On February 6th, 2025, Kenvue announced fourth quarter and full-year earnings results For the quarter, revenue declined 0.1% to $3.66 billion, which was $109 million less than expected.

Source: Investor Presentation

Adjusted earnings-per-share of $0.26 compared unfavorably to $0.31 last year and was in-line with estimates.

For the year, revenue improved 0.1% to $15.5 billion while adjusted earnings-per-share of $1.14 compared to $1.29 in 2023.

Organic sales improved 1.7% for the quarter and 1.5% for the year. For the quarter, pricing and mix added 1% while volume grew 0.7%.

Skin Health and Beauty and Self Care were positive for the period, but were offset by weaker results for Essential Health. Gross profit margin expanded 80 basis points to 56.5%.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on KVUE (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #14: Kimberly-Clark (KMB)

Kimberly-Clark is a global consumer products company that operates in 175 countries and sells disposable consumer goods, including paper towels, diapers, and tissues.

It operates segments that each house many popular brands: the Personal Care Segment (Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex, Depend, Poise), the Consumer Tissue segment (Kleenex, Scott, Cottonelle, and Viva), and a professional segment.

Kimberly-Clark posted fourth quarter and full-year earnings on January 28th, 2025. Adjusted earnings-per-share came to $1.50, missing estimates by a penny.

Revenue was off 0.8% year-on-year to $4.93 billion, but still beat estimates by $70 million.

Organic sales growth was 2.3% for the quarter with the balance of the move in revenue from forex translation and divestitures. Organic sales were driven by volume growth of 1.5%, which was the best performance of the year.

Source: Investor Presentation

Pricing increased 0.6%, and product mix added 0.1%. The company noted all segments grew volume during the quarter.

Adjusted gross margin was up 50 basis point year-on-year to 35.4% of sales, as productivity gains were partially offset by investments and manufacturing cost headwinds. Full-year cash from operations was $3.2 billion, down from $3.5 billion in 2023.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on Kimberly-Clark (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #13: Fortis (FTS)

Fortis is Canada’s largest investor-owned utility business with operations in Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean.

Fortis currently has 99% regulated assets: 82% regulated electric and 17% regulated gas. Approximately 64% are in the U.S., 33% in Canada, and 3% in the Caribbean.

Source: Investor Presentation

Fortis reported Q4 and full-year 2024 results on 02/14/25. For the quarter, it reported adjusted net earnings of CAD$416 million, up 19% versus Q4 2023, while adjusted earnings-per-share (EPS) came in at C$0.83, up 15%.

As planned, Fortis’s capital investments were C$5.2 billion in 2024.

During the period, Fortis witnessed adjusted earnings growth of 8.3% to C$1.6 billion, while the adjusted EPS came in at C$3.28, up 6.1%. However, when translated to US$, the adjusted EPS declined by ~2% to US$2.28.

After releasing its five-year capital plan of C$26 billion for 2025 to 2029, which suggests a mid-year rate base growth at a compound annual growth rate of 6.5% from C$38.8 billion in 2024 to C$53.0 billion in 2029, the company also maintained its dividend growth guidance of 4-6% through 2029.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on FTS (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #12: PepsiCo Inc. (PEP)

PepsiCo is a global food and beverage company. Its products include Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Frito-Lay chips, Gatorade, Tropicana orange juice and Quaker foods.

Its business is split roughly 60-40 in terms of food and beverage revenue. It is also balanced geographically between the U.S. and the rest of the world.

Source: Investor Presentation

On February 4th, 2025, PepsiCo announced that it would increase its annualized dividend by 5.0% to $5.69 starting with the payment that was made in June 2025, extending the company’s dividend growth streak to 53 consecutive years.

That same day, PepsiCo announced fourth quarter and full year results for the period ending December 31st, 2025. For the quarter, revenue decreased 0.3% to $27.8 billion, which was $110 million below estimates.

Adjusted earnings-per-share of $1.96 compared favorably to $1.78 the prior year and was $0.02 better than excepted.

For the year, revenue grew 0.4% to $91.9 billion while adjusted earnings-per-share of $8.16 compared to $7.62 in 2023. Currency exchange reduced revenue by 2% and earnings-per-share by 4%.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on PEP (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #11: Hormel Foods (HRL)

Hormel Foods was founded back in 1891 in Minnesota. Since that time, the company has grown into a juggernaut in the food products industry with nearly $10 billion in annual revenue.

Hormel has kept with its core competency as a processor of meat products for well over a hundred years, but has also grown into other business lines through acquisitions.

Hormel has a large portfolio of category-leading brands. Just a few of its top brands include include Skippy, SPAM, Applegate, Justin’s, and more than 30 others.

It has also pursued acquisitions to drive growth. For example, in 2021, Hormel acquired the Planters snack nuts business from Kraft-Heinz (KHC) for $3.35 billion, which has boosted Hormel’s growth.

Source: Investor Presentation

Hormel posted fourth quarter and full-year earnings on December 4th, 2024, and results were in line with expectations. The company posted adjusted earnings-per-share of 42 cents, which met estimates. Revenue was off 2% year-on-year to $3.14 billion, also hitting estimates.

Operating income was $308 million for the quarter on an adjusted basis, or 9.8% of revenue. Operating cash flow was $409 million for Q4.

For the year, sales were $11.9 billion, and adjusted operating income was $1.1 billion, or 9.6% of revenue. Adjusted earnings-per-share was $1.58. Operating cash flow hit a record of $1.3 billion.

Guidance for 2025 was initiated at $11.9 billion to $12.2 billion in sales, with organic net sales growth of 1% to 3%.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on HRL (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #10: Stanley Black & Decker (SWK)

Stanley Black & Decker is a world leader in power tools, hand tools, and related items. The company holds the top global position in tools and storage sales.

Stanley Black & Decker is second in the world in the areas of commercial electronic security and engineered fastening. The company is composed of three segments: tools & outdoor, and industrial.

Source: Investor Presentation

On February 5th, 2025, Stanley Black & Decker announced fourth quarter and full-year results. For the quarter, revenue of $3.75 billion was unchanged from the prior year, but came in $120 million above expectations.

Adjusted earnings-per-share of $1.49 compared favorably to $0.92 in the prior year and was $0.22 ahead of estimates. For the year, revenue declined 3% to $15.4 billion while adjusted earnings-per-share of $4.36 compared to $1.45 in 2023.

Organic growth was flat for the year, but up 3% for the quarter. Organic sales for Tools & Outdoor, the largest segment within the company, was higher by 3% for the quarter.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on SWK (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #9: Target Corporation (TGT)

Target was founded in 1902 and now operates about 1,850 big box stores, which offer general merchandise and food, as well as serving as distribution points for the company’s e-commerce business.

Target posted fourth quarter and full-year earnings on March 4th, 2025, and results were better than expected on both the top and bottom lines, albeit on reduced estimates. Adjusted earnings-per-share came to $2.41, which was 16 cents ahead of estimates.

Revenue was off 3.1% year-over-year to $30.92 billion, but did beat estimates by $90 million. Comparable sales in the fourth quarter rose 1.5% year-over-year due to strong traffic and digital channel performance. Management noted apparel and hardline categories saw particular strength.

Digital comparable sales continue to drive the top line, adding 8.7% in Q4. Same-day delivery grew by more than 25% from the year-ago period.

The company repurchased $506 million worth of shares in Q4, and had $8.7 billion left on its authorization as of year end. The company guided for $8.80 to $9.80 in adjusted earnings-per-share for this year.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on TGT (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #8: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)

Archer-Daniels-Midland is the largest publicly traded farmland product company in the United States. Its businesses include processing cereal grains, oilseeds, and agricultural storage and transportation.

Archer-Daniels-Midland reported its third-quarter results for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 on November 18th, 2024.

The company reported adjusted net earnings of $530 million and adjusted EPS of $1.09, both down from the prior year due to a $461 million non-cash charge related to its Wilmar equity investment.

Consolidated cash flows year-to-date reached $2.34 billion, reflecting strong operations despite market challenges.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on ADM (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #7: United Bankshares (UBSI)

United Bankshares was formed in 1982 and since that time, has acquired more than 30 separate banking institutions.

This focus on acquisitions, in addition to organic growth, has allowed United to expand in the Mid-Atlantic with about $30 billion in total assets, and annual revenue of about $1 billion.

United posted fourth quarter and full-year earnings on January 24th, 2025, and results were better than expected on the bottom line, but missed revenue estimates.

Earnings came to 69 cents per share, which was 33 cents ahead of estimates. Revenue was off slightly to $262 million, missing estimates by $12 million.

Provisions for credit losses came to $6.7 million, a slight improvement year-over-year. Net interest income came to $232 million, up 1% from Q3. The boost came primarily from a lower average rate paid on deposits.

This was partially offset by a lower yield on average net loans and leases held for sale. Average earning assets rose $556 million, or 2%, from Q3. Most of this was due to an increase in short term investments of $420 million.

The yield on average net loans and leases was down 18 basis points from Q3. Net interest margin for the fourth quarter was down three basis points from Q3 at 3.49%.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on UBSI (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #6: Black Hills Corporation (BKH)

Black Hills Corporation is an electric utility that provides electricity and natural gas to customers in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

The company has 1.35 million utility customers in eight states. Its natural gas assets include 49,200 miles of natural gas lines. Separately, it has ~9,200 miles of electric lines and 1.4 gigawatts of electric generation capacity.

Source: Investor Presentation

Black Hills Corporation reported its fourth quarter earnings results in February. The company generated revenues of $597 million during the quarter, which was up 1% year-over-year.

Earnings-per-share of $1.37 during the fourth quarter was above the consensus analyst estimate. Earnings-per-share were up by close to 20% versus the previous year’s quarter. Q4 and Q1 are seasonally stronger quarters due to higher natural gas demand for heating, which was again showcased by the above-average profitability during the fourth quarter.

Black Hills Corporation forecasts earnings-per-share of $4.00 to $4.20 for the current fiscal year.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on BKH (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #5: Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT)

Federal Realty was founded in 1962. As a Real Estate Investment Trust, Federal Realty’s business model is to own and rent out real estate properties.

It uses a significant portion of its rental income, as well as external financing, to acquire new properties.

Source: Investor Presentation

On February 13, 2025, Federal Realty Investment Trust reported its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2024. The company achieved funds from operations (FFO) per share of $1.73 for the quarter and $6.77 for the full year, setting all-time records even after accounting for a one-time $0.04 charge related to an executive departure.

Total revenue surpassed $300 million for the quarter and $1.2 billion for the year, reflecting growth rates of 7% and 6% over their respective prior periods. Leased occupancy reached 96.2%, and occupied occupancy was 94.1% at year-end, the highest levels in nearly a decade.

These results were driven by strong tenant demand, with both leased and occupied metrics increasing by 200 and 190 basis points, respectively, over year-end 2023 levels.

The company also reported solid lease rollover of 11% on a cash basis and sector-leading contractual rent increases of approximately 2.5% for both anchor and small shop tenants.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on Federal Realty (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #4: Northwest Natural Holding Co. (NWN)

Northwest was founded over 160 years ago as a natural gas utility in Portland, Oregon.

It has grown from a very small, local utility that provided gas service to a handful of customers to a very successful regional utility with interests that now include water and wastewater, which were purchased in recent acquisitions.

The company’s locations served are shown in the image below.

Source: Investor Presentation

Northwest provides gas service to 2.5 million customers in ~140 communities in Oregon and Washington, serving more than 795,000 connections. It also owns and operates ~35 billion cubic feet of underground gas storage capacity.

On February 28, 2025, Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN) reported its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2024. The company achieved an adjusted net income of $90.6 million for the full year, or $2.33 per share, slightly down from $93.9 million, or $2.59 per share, in 2023.

This decrease was primarily due to regulatory lag affecting the first ten months of 2024 until new Oregon gas utility rates became effective on November 1. The utility margin increased by $26.3 million, mainly due to these new rates.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on NWN (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #3: Canadian Utilities (CDUAF)

Canadian Utilities is a utility company with approximately 5,000 employees. ATCO owns 53% of Canadian Utilities. Based in Alberta, Canadian Utilities is a diversified global energy infrastructure corporation delivering solutions in Electricity, Pipelines & Liquid, and Retail Energy.

The company has a long history of generating steady growth and consistent profits through the economic cycle.

Source: Investor Presentation

On February 27th, 2025, Canadian Utilities posted its Q4 and full-year results for the period ending December 31st, 2024.

For the quarter, adjusted earnings amounted to $142 million USD ($0.52 per share), up $8 million USD ($0.02 per-share) year-over-year.

The increase in adjusted earnings was primarily driven by growth in the rate base and a higher return on equity (ROE) in ATCO Energy Systems’ regulated utilities.

This was partially offset by restructuring costs recorded in the quarter. GAAP EPS for 2024 was $1.03 in USD.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on CDUAF (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #2: Universal Corporation (UVV)

Universal Corporation is a market leader in supplying leaf tobacco and other plant-based inputs to consumer product manufacturers.

The Tobacco Operations segment buys and sells tobacco used to make cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and smokeless products.

Universal buys tobacco from its suppliers, processes it, and sells it to large tobacco companies in the US and internationally.

Source: Investor Presentation

The Ingredient Operations deal mainly with vegetables and fruits but is significantly smaller than the tobacco operations.

Universal Corporation reported its third quarter earnings results in February. The company generated revenues of $937 million during the quarter, which was more than the revenues that Universal Corporation generated during the previous period.

Revenues were positively impacted by product mix changes, while larger and better-yielding crops also had a positive impact on the company’s top-line. Universal Corporation’s revenues also rose on a year-over-year basis, showing a 14% increase.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on Universal (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

High Yield Dividend King #1: Altria Group (MO)

Altria is a tobacco stock that sells cigarettes, chewing tobacco, cigars, e-cigarettes, and more under a variety of brands, including Marlboro, Skoal, and Copenhagen, among others.

With a current dividend yield of nearly 8%, Altria is an ideal retirement investment stock.

This is a period of transition for Altria. The decline in the U.S. smoking rate continues. In response, Altria has invested heavily in new products that appeal to changing consumer preferences, as the smoke-free category continues to grow.

Source: Investor Presentation

The company also has a 35% investment stake in e-cigarette maker JUUL, and a 45% stake in the Canadian cannabis producer Cronos Group (CRON).

Altria Group reported solid financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024. For the fourth quarter, revenue of $5.1 billion beat analyst estimates by $50 million, and increased 1.6% year-over-year. Adjusted EPS of $1.29 beat by a penny.

For the full year, Altria generated adjusted diluted EPS growth of 3.4% and returned over $10.2 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.

For 2025, Altria expects adjusted diluted EPS in a range of $5.22 to $5.37. This represents an adjusted diluted EPS growth rate of 2% to 5% for 2025.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on Altria (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Final Thoughts

High yield dividend stocks have obvious appeal to income investors. The S&P 500 Index yields just ~1.2% right now on average, making high yield stocks even more attractive by comparison.

Of course, investors should always do their research before buying individual stocks.

That said, the 20 stocks in this list have yields at least double the S&P 500 Index average. And, each of these stocks has increased their dividends for 50 consecutive years.

They are all part of the exclusive Dividend Kings list. As a result, income investors may find these 20 dividend stocks attractive.

Further Reading

If you are interested in finding high-quality dividend growth stocks and/or other high-yield securities and income securities, the following Sure Dividend resources will be useful:

High-Yield Individual Security Research

Other Sure Dividend Resources

Consumers are feeling gloomy about the economy right now… and the University of Michigan’s awful Consumer Sentiment Report shows that the outlook is only getting worse. 

There’s no other way to put it – consumer sentiment is crashing. The university’s headline index dropped from 64.7 in February to 57.9 in March, its lowest level since November 2022. 

The Current Conditions Index dropped to 63.5, its lowest since September 2024. And the Expectations Index dropped to 54.2, its lowest since July 2022. 

Across the board, consumer sentiment is collapsing. But this is not a new trend; it’s been happening all year long. 

Over the past three months, consumer sentiment has dropped by 21%, its largest three-month crash since the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic in summer 2020.

That’s ugly data. 

However, as we all know, there’s perception, and there’s reality. 

In reality, are things really that bad?

At 2.3%, gross domestic product (GDP) growth is still positive. Consumer spending is steady. Unemployment is low at 4.1%. Inflation is falling, currently hovering around 2.8%. At about 4.3%, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, wage growth is strong and running above inflation. And as the fourth-quarter earnings season illustrated, corporate profits are still growing, with more than 75% of the S&P 500 exceeding consensus estimates. 

Sure, we have ongoing tariff drama and policy uncertainty. But the economy still remains on solid footing. 

So, while sentiment is in the basement right now, the real economy appears to be doing just fine. 

That could change, of course. But as of right now, economic conditions are pretty normal. 

That’s why we think consumer sentiment will rebound over the next few months – and as that happens, stocks should, too…

Is the Bottom Near?

Consumer sentiment is currently being walloped by tariff drama, federal spending cuts, and policy uncertainty. But we think all those dynamics will ease in the coming months. 

In our view, the Trump administration is front-loading these moves so it can pave the way for other things – like a big tax cut package and more deregulation – which should boost consumer sentiment. 

That is, we believe temporarily bad policy developments are weighing on consumer sentiment. But as the administration shifts focus in the coming months, consumer sentiment should rebound. 

The data seems to agree with this thesis.

The University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index has crashed to levels that are historically considered the “bottoming zone.” 

Since 1980, consumer sentiment has oscillated violently between really low and really high readings. But it has consistently bottomed in the 50 to 60 range. 

In 1980, amidst the Federal Reserve’s aggressive rate-hiking cycle, it bottomed at 52. In 2008, it bottomed at 55 during the financial crisis. It bottomed at 56 in 2011 during the European sovereign debt crisis and at 50 in the thick of 2022’s inflation crisis. 

The consumer sentiment index just dropped below 58. Historically speaking, we’ve reached the bottoming zone. 

If this truly is the bottom, then this could be a really good time to be buying stocks…

Because big consumer sentiment rebounds out of the bottoming zone – like we saw in the early 1980s, coming out of the GFC, in 2012/13, and in 2023/24 – coincided with major market rebounds. 

Restaking provides decentralized finance users with a way to improve capital efficiency by “staking” the same token to secure both the underlying blockchain and protocols building atop of the network. It allows additional protocols to benefit from the same security mechanism, while users can earn greater rewards, though they also take on additional risks. 

The concept of restaking was invented by EigenLayer on Ethereum and relies on “liquid restaking tokens”, which are issued as a receipt to those who stake cryptocurrencies such as ETH, BTC, and SOL. These LRTs, as they’re known, allow users to retain their staked liquidity, so they can provide security to further networks and protocols and strengthen the broader blockchain ecosystem.

With the emergence of restaking, dozens of projects are exploring ways in which they can leverage the security provided by restaked assets, through mechanisms such as Actively Validated Services and Bitcoin Validated Services. 

Restaking Explained

Restaking builds on staking, where crypto users can lock their tokens in validator nodes to help secure the underlying blockchain network. For instance, the security of Ethereum depends on the number of active validators, plus the percentage of tokens in circulation that are staked, and how they are distributed across the validator set. 

Traditionally, staked tokens have always been considered “idle”, and once locked up could no longer be traded or used in DeFi protocols. To free up these locked tokens, the DeFi industry birthed the idea of LRTs, which can still be traded or allocated to other protocols – for instance, some LRTs can be used as collateral for decentralized loans. 

Restaking provides more options, allowing staked ETH, BTC, or SOL to be reallocated and staked a second time to secure other protocols. It means more projects benefit from the security provided by the original staked collateral, and investors benefit from earning additional rewards. With EigenLayer, for instance, decentralized applications are effectively allowed to rent the staking security of Ethereum. 

Ethereum Restaking

Most restaking today occurs on the Ethereum blockchain, which first pioneered the concept and has spawned the most extensive and sophisticated ecosystem around the idea. EigenLayer boasts the most total value locked, at over $5.2 billion.

Uniquely, Ethereum allows users to engage in two kinds of restaking. Native restaking is the first method and involves running an Ethereum validators node and restaking staked ETH on Ethereum’s Beacon Chain to EigenLayer. More common is LRT restaking, where holders of LRTs such as stETH deposit those assets with validators on EigenLayer. 

On Ethereum, restaked assets are allocated to Actively Validated Services, which are the dApps and other protocols, such as network bridges, that want to share the benefits of Ethereum’s staked security. The restaking process is quite simple, and you can check out this guide for restaking assets on Eigenlayer. 

Besides restaking with EigenLayer, Ethereum restakers have additional options with protocols such as Ether.Fi and Puffer Finance, which are focused exclusively on native restaking, and Renzo Protocol and Kelp, which support both native and LRT restaking, accepting tokens such as stETH, ETHx, and wBETH, among many others. 

Restaking On Other Networks

While Ethereum accounts for the vast majority of restaked capital, few people realize that it’s also possible to restake Bitcoin and other assets, thanks to protocols such as SatLayer. 

Although Bitcoin is not a proof-of-stake chain, it’s possible to stake BTC anyway through Babylon Chain, Lorenzo Protocol and others, where the staked assets are instead used to secure third-party PoS blockchains. 

SatLayer builds on this idea, allowing users to restake the LRTs they get from Babylon and Lorenzo Protocol to secure its “Bitcoin Validated Services”, which are much like the Actively Validated Services found on Ethereum, enabling dApps to tap into the security foundation of the Bitcoin blockchain. The process is pretty simple, with SatLayer offering a straightforward, ten-step guide for BTC holders to get started.

SatLayer has proven popular, amassing more than $266 million in total value locked, because it dramatically increases the utility of Bitcoin, which was once almost completely useless for DeFi users. Not only can BTC holders stake, but now they can restake those assets in order to maximize the security they provide and the rewards they earn. 

It’s also possible to restake on the Solana blockchain via protocols such as Solayer. 

Why is Restaking Important?

For investors, the biggest advantage of restaking is that it re-energizes once-idle assets sitting in smart contracts, allowing them to be reinvested. It’s a way of enhancing capital efficiency for users to earn additional rewards in return for boosting the security of the blockchain ecosystem. 

By restaking assets, investors can effectively double the amount of rewards they would earn from regular staking. For instance, native staking on Ethereum provides an average yield of 3.6%, while restaking can generate anything from 3.08% to 4.06%. Staking Bitcoin on Babylon currently earns a 2.3% APR as well as additional Babylon points, while restaking through SatLayer means users can earn additional rewards. 

Restaking is extremely beneficial for the wider blockchain ecosystem. Protocols such as data availability layers, Layer-2 networks, and network bridges have often struggled to establish security because they’re unable to attract enough staked capital by themselves. After all, who wants to be the first to stake on an unsecured network? Restaking provides a way around this “cold start” problem. Instead of growing their network of validators, these protocols can create an Actively Validated Service or Bitcoin Validated Service and tap into the security foundation of Ethereum or Bitcoin. 

Are There Any Risks? 

Yes! It’s important to understand there are downsides to restaking. After all, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. 

The risks are similar to those of traditional staking. When users stake or restake their assets, they’re subject to the blockchain or protocol’s “slashing rules”. Should the validator they entrust with their capital break any of these rules, their funds could be “slashed”, or taken away from them to be redistributed by the protocol or burned. 

Each AVS or BVS has its own slashing rules, but they generally cover things like penalties for downtime or not validating transactions properly, breaches of the restaking contract terms, and malicious activities such as double-signing or front-running transactions. 

The risks have become more complex with the growth of the restaking ecosystem, and some experts warn that a slashing event on one protocol could potentially create a cascading effect, causing slashing events on multiple others. 

More Rewards, More Security

It’s easy to see why restaking has exploded into life over the last couple of years. Restaked capital brings major benefits to both investors (through enhanced rewards) and new protocols (scalable security). That said, users need to be aware of the slashing risks associated with restaking, and the fluctuating rewards. 

Nonetheless, it’s clear that restaking is captivating the DeFi community, and as protocols like EigenLayer and SatLayer evolve, we’re hopeful that the rewards on offer will become more enticing, and that superior risk management mechanisms might emerge. Such developments are necessary to boost the restaking ecosystem and ensure it provides sustainable security and rewards over the long term.

Updated on March 14th, 2025 by Bob Ciura

Business Development Companies, otherwise known as BDCs, are highly popular among income investors. BDCs widely have high dividend yields of 5% or higher.

This makes BDCs very appealing for income investors such as retirees. With this in mind, we’ve created a list of BDCs.

You can download your free copy of our BDC list, along with relevant financial metrics such as P/E ratios and dividend payout ratios, by clicking on the link below:

 

Of course, before investing in BDCs, investors should understand the unique characteristics of the sector.

This article will provide an overview of BDCs. It will also list our top 5 BDCs right now as ranked by expected total returns in the Sure Analysis Research Database.

Table Of Contents

The table of contents below provides for easy navigation of the article:

Overview of BDCs

Business Development Companies are closed-end investment firms. Their business model involves making debt and/or equity investments in other companies, typically small or mid-size businesses.

These target companies may not have access to traditional means of raising capital, which makes them suitable partners for a BDC. BDCs invest in a variety of companies, including turnarounds, developing, or distressed companies.

BDCs are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. As they are publicly-traded, BDCs must also be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

To qualify as a BDC, the firm must invest at least 70% of its assets in private or publicly-held companies with market capitalizations of $250 million or below.

BDCs make money by investing with the goal of generating income, as well as capital gains on their investments if and when they are sold.

In this way, BDCs operate similar business models as a private equity firm or venture capital firm.

The major difference is that private equity and venture capital investment is typically restricted to accredited investors, while anyone can invest in publicly-traded BDCs.

Why Invest In BDCs?

The obvious appeal for BDCs is their high dividend yields. It is not uncommon to find BDCs with dividend yields above 5%. In some cases, certain BDCs provide 10%+ yields.

Of course, investors should conduct a thorough amount of due diligence, to make sure the underlying fundamentals support the dividend.

As always, investors should avoid dividend cuts whenever possible. Any stock that has an abnormally high yield is a potential danger.

Indeed, there are multiple risk factors that investors should know before they invest in BDCs. First and foremost, BDCs are often heavily indebted.

This is commonplace across BDCs, as their business model involves borrowing to make investments in other companies. The end result is that BDCs are often significantly leveraged companies.

When the economy is strong and markets are rising, leverage can help amplify positive returns.

However, the flip side is that leverage can accelerate losses as well, which can happen in bear markets or recessions.

Another risk to be aware of is interest rates. Since the BDC business model heavily utilizes debt, investors should understand the interest rate environment before investing.

For example, rising interest rates can negatively affect BDCs if it causes a spike in borrowing costs.

Lastly, credit risk is an additional consideration for investors. As previously mentioned, BDCs make investments in small to mid-size businesses.

Therefore, the quality of the BDC’s portfolio must be assessed, to make sure the BDC will not experience a high level of defaults within its investment portfolio.

This would cause adverse results for the BDC itself, which could negatively impact its ability to maintain distributions to shareholders.

Another unique characteristic of BDCs that investors should know before buying is taxation. BDC dividends are typically not “qualified dividends” for tax purposes, which is generally a more favorable tax rate.

Instead, BDC distributions are taxable at the investor’s ordinary income rates, while the BDC’s capital gains and qualified dividend income is taxed at capital gains rates.

After taking all of this into account, investors might decide that BDCs are a good fit for their portfolios. If that is the case, income investors might consider one of the following BDCs.

Tax Considerations Of BDCs

As always, investors should understand the tax implications of various securities before purchasing. Business Development Companies must pay out 90%+ of their income as distributions.

In this way, BDCs are very similar to Real Estate Investment Trusts.

Another factor to keep in mind is that approximately 70% to 80% of BDC dividend income is typically derived from ordinary income.

As a result, BDCs are widely considered to be good candidates for a tax-advantaged retirement account such as an IRA or 401k.

BDCs pay their distributions as a mix of ordinary income and non-qualified dividends, qualified dividends, return of capital, and capital gains.

Returns of capital reduce your tax basis. Qualified dividends and long-term capital gains are taxed at lower rates, while ordinary income and non-qualified dividends are taxed at your personal income tax bracket rate.

The Top 5 BDCs Today

With all this in mind, here are our top 5 BDCs today, ranked according to their expected annual returns over the next five years.

BDC #5: Barings BDC Inc. (BBDC)

• 5-year expected annual return: 10.1%

Barings BDC is a business development company (BDC) focused on providing senior secured loans to middle-market companies, primarily in the U.S. and internationally.

Managed by Barings LLC, a global asset manager, the company invests in businesses with earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) ranging from $10 million to $75 million.

Source: Investor Presentation

On February 20th, 2025, Barings BDC posted its Q4 and full–year results for the period ending December 31st, 2024. Net investment income (NII) was $29.5 million, or $0.28 per share, down from $30.2 million or $0.29 per share last quarter.

This decline was driven by a lower weighted average yield on performing debt investments, which fell 110 basis points to 9.5%, due to interest rates normalizing. For the year, NII/share was $1.04.

During the quarter, the company invested $137.9 million in 15 new companies and $156.5 million in existing positions. For FY2025, we expect NII/share of $1.10.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on BBDC (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

BDC #4: Blue Owl Capital (OBDC)

• 5-year expected annual return: 10.3%

Blue Owl Capital Corporation is a business development company (“BDC”) that formed in October 2015.

It invests and lends funds to U.S. middle-market companies that generate annual EBITDA between $10 million and $250 million and/or annual revenues of $50 million to $2.5 billion.

The company generates around $1.2 billion in gross investment income annually and is based in New York, New York.

Source: Investor Presentation

Blue Owl Capital reported its Q4 and full-year results for the period ending December 31st, 2024. For the quarter, the company achieved a gross investment income of $394.4 million, 4.0% below compared to last year.

Net investment income (NII) was $184.4 million, down 7.3% compared to last year. NII/share fell four cents to $0.47.

For the year, NII/share was $1.90, relatively flat year-over-year.

The company committed $7.3 billion in new investments across 98 new and 68 existing portfolio companies during the year. At the end of the year, the company’s portfolio had a fair value of $13.2 billion, comprising investments in 227 companies across 30 different industries.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on OBDC (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

BDC #3: Capital Southwest Corp. (CSWC)

• 5-year expected annual return: 11.1%

Capital Southwest Corporation is an internally-managed investment company. The company specializes in providing customized debt and equity financing to lower middle market (LMM) companies and debt capital to upper-middle market (UMM) companies located primarily in the United States.

Capital Southwest generates around $82 million in annual revenues and is based in Dallas, Texas.

On February 3rd, 2025, Capital Southwest declared a base quarterly dividend of $0.58 per share, and a supplemental dividend of $0.06 per share. The base annualized dividend remains at $2.32 per share.

Capital Southwest reported its fiscal Q3-2025 results. Total investment income was $52.0 million, up from $48.7 million in the prior quarter.

The growth in investment income was primarily attributable to an increase in prepayment and other fees received during Q3.

Still, the weighted average yield on debt declined sequentially, falling from 12.9% to 12.1%.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on CSWC (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

BDC #2: Horizon Technology Finance (HRZN)

• 5-year expected annual return: 13.6%

Horizon Technology Finance Corp. is a BDC that provides venture capital to small and medium–sized companies in the technology, life sciences, and healthcare–IT sectors.

The company has generated attractive risk–adjusted returns through directly originated senior secured loans and additional capital appreciation through warrants.

Source: Investor Presentation

On March 4th, 2025, Horizon released its Q4 and full-year results for the period ending December 31st, 2024. For the quarter, total investment income fell 16.7% year-over-year to $23.5 million, primarily due to lower interest income on investments from the debt investment portfolio.

More specifically, the company’s dollar-weighted annualized yield on average debt investments in Q4 of 2024 and Q4 of 2023 was 14.9% and 16.8%, respectively.

Net investment income per share (IIS) fell to $0.27, down from $0.45 compared to Q4-2023. Net asset value (NAV) per share landed at $8.43, down from $9.06 sequentially.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on HRZN (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

BDC #1: NewtekOne Inc. (NEWT)

• 5-year expected annual return: 15.1%

Newtek One provides financial and business services to the small- and medium-sized business market in the United States.

What makes NewTek a unique company is that a good portion of its income is derived from subsidiaries that provide a wide array of business services to its large client base.

The company also gets a significant amount of its income from being an issuer of SBA (Small Business Administration loans), which only very few BDCs are licensed to do.

On February 26th, 2025, Newtek released its Q4 and full-year results for the period ending December 31st, 2024. For the quarter, Newtek reported net income of $18.3 million, or diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.69, representing a 62.8% increase over the prior year. Net interest income increased to $11.3 million, up 36.1% from Q4 2023.

Its total assets reached $2.1 billion, marking a 50% rise year-over-year, with loans held for investment growing 23% to $991.4 million.

Newtek’s net interest margin was 2.80%, a slight increase from the prior year.

Additionally, the company’s Alternative Loan Program loan closings skyrocketed by 199% to $91.4 million. Newtek also achieved significant improvements in return on tangible common equity (ROTCE) and return on average assets (ROAA), reaching 31.8% and 4.1%.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on NEWT (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Final Thoughts

Business Development Companies give retail investors the opportunity to invest indirectly in small and mid-size businesses.

Previously, investment in early-stage or developing companies was restricted to accredited investors, through venture capital.

And, BDCs have obvious appeal for income investors. BDCs widely have high dividend yields above 5%, and many BDCs pay dividends every month instead of the more typical quarterly payment schedule.

Of course, investors should consider all of the unique characteristics, including but not limited to the tax implications of BDCs.

Investors should also be aware of the risk factors associated with investing in BDCs, such as the use of leverage, interest rate risk, and default risk.

If investors understand the various implications and make the decision to invest in BDCs, the 5 individual stocks on this list could provide attractive total returns and dividends over the next several years.

At Sure Dividend, we often advocate for investing in companies with a high probability of increasing their dividends each and every year.

If that strategy appeals to you, it may be useful to browse through the following databases of dividend growth stocks:

• The Dividend Aristocrats List: S&P 500 stocks with 25+ years of dividend increases.
• The Dividend Kings List is even more exclusive than the Dividend Aristocrats. It is comprised of 54 stocks with 50+ years of consecutive dividend increases.
• The High Dividend Stocks List: stocks that appeal to investors interested in the highest yields of 5% or more.
• The Monthly Dividend Stocks List: stocks that pay dividends every month, for 12 dividend payments per year.
• The Dividend Champions List: stocks that have increased their dividends for 25+ consecutive years.
  Note: Not all Dividend Champions are Dividend Aristocrats because Dividend Aristocrats have additional requirements like being in the S&P 500.

Key takeaways:

• Orderly’s permissionless liquidity layer has processed over $100 billion in total trading volume.
• More than 30 decentralized exchanges and DeFi protocols have integrated Orderly’s liquidity infrastructure.
• The platform supports 10+ blockchain networks, including Arbitrum, Base, Polygon, and Solana.

Orderly’s unified liquidity model drives record-breaking trading activity

Orderly, a cross-chain liquidity infrastructure provider, has reached a major milestone, surpassing $100 billion in cumulative trading volume. The surge in demand comes as more decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and DeFi protocols tap into Orderly’s omnichain liquidity network, which aggregates liquidity across multiple blockchains to offer deeper order books and reduced slippage.

The liquidity layer, which facilitates trading on over 110 markets, has seen daily trading volumes spike to $1.8 billion during peak periods. Orderly’s architecture allows emerging DEXs to access institutional-grade liquidity from day one, making it a preferred solution for projects launching on both established and emerging blockchain networks.

“While we knew this day was coming, it’s nevertheless gratifying to have broken $100B in cumulative volume, which is a testament to the dozens of partners who’ve integrated us by leveraging the Orderly SDK to enable boundless liquidity for their users.” — Orderly Co-Founder Ran Yi

Growing liquidity infrastructure sets the stage for wider adoption

Orderly’s trading volume is spread across more than 10 blockchain ecosystems, including EVM-compatible networks and high-performance chains like Solana. Recent integrations include Berachain, Monad, and Story, highlighting the platform’s ability to support emerging blockchains looking to bootstrap liquidity.

The network is backed by 20+ top-tier market makers, including Wintermute, Selini, and Riverside, ensuring that traders using Orderly-powered platforms benefit from tight spreads and minimal slippage. Notably, Raydium, a leading Solana-based DEX, has expanded its reliance on Orderly for its perpetual markets.

With a centralized exchange (CEX)-level trading experience and fully decentralized infrastructure, Orderly is rapidly positioning itself as the go-to liquidity solution for Web3 trading platforms.