10 Top-Performing Dividend Stocks

Dividend-paying stocks that combine healthy balance sheets with hefty yields can provide investors with steady income, cushion against market downturns, and help grow investments at a healthy clip. In August 2026, the top-performing dividend payers included personal services firm H&R Block HRB, packaged foods company General Mills GIS, and information technology services company Accenture ACN. Pharmaceutical company Pfizer PFE ranked fourth.

To find the month’s 10 best-performing income-focused stocks, we screened the Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index, which tracks the performance of the 100 highest-yielding stocks from a broad basket of consistent dividend payers.

The Top-Performing Dividend Leaders of August

1. H&R Block HRB
2. General Mills GIS
3. Accenture ACN
4. Pfizer PFE
5. Blackstone BX
6. Target TGT
7. Ares Management ARES
8. Omnicom Group OMC
9. Comcast CMCSA
10. JM Smucker Company SJM

How Have Dividend Stocks Performed?

Over the past month, the Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index, which captures the 100 highest-yielding names with stable and sustainable payouts, rose 2.82%. Meanwhile, the broader Morningstar Dividend Composite Index gained 2.11%. In the 12 months leading up to Aug. 31, the Dividend Leaders Index gained 24.24%, while the Dividend Composite Index gained 22.14%. The overall US stock market, as measured by the Morningstar US Market Index, gained 2.67% on the month and 20.25% on the year.

Yields and Metrics for August’s Best-Performing Dividend Stocks

H&R Block

Personal services firm H&R Block rose 17.31% in August and gained 5.92% over the past 12 months. Trading at $51.65, its stock has a forward dividend yield of 3.56%. H&R Block pays investors an annual dividend of $1.84 per share. The stock has a quantitative Morningstar Rating of 3 stars.

General Mills

Packaged foods company General Mills gained 15.24% in August and dropped 11.53% over the past 12 months. The $41.20 price gives it a forward dividend yield of 5.92%. General Mills pays investors an annual dividend of $2.44 per share. With a fair value estimate of $47 per share and a narrow economic moat, the stock is 12% undervalued and has a Morningstar Rating of 4 stars.

Accenture

Information technology services company Accenture climbed 14.37% in August and fell 24.50% over the past 12 months. At $189.76, its stock has a forward dividend yield of 3.44% and an annual dividend of $6.52 per share. The stock, which has a narrow economic moat, is trading at a 15% discount to its fair value estimate of $223 per share. It has a Morningstar Rating of 4 stars.

Pfizer

Drug manufacturer Pfizer rose 13.79% in August and 21.89% over the past 12 months. Trading at $28.46, its stock has a forward dividend yield of 6.04%. Pfizer pays investors an annual dividend of $1.72 per share. The stock, which has a narrow economic moat, is trading at an 11% discount to its fair value estimate of $32 per share, leaving it with a Morningstar Rating of 4 stars.

Blackstone

Asset management firm Blackstone gained 13.14% in August and dropped 13.38% over the past 12 months. The stock’s $143.24 price gives it a forward dividend yield of 3.65%. Blackstone pays investors an annual dividend of $5.23 per share. With a fair value estimate of $140 per share and a wide economic moat, the stock is fairly valued and has a Morningstar Rating of 3 stars.

Target

Discount store Target climbed 12.15% in August and rose 72.39% over the past 12 months. At $160.88, its stock has a forward dividend yield of 2.88% and an annual dividend of $4.64 per share. The stock, which has no economic moat, is trading at a 33% premium to its fair value estimate of $121 per share. It has a Morningstar Rating of 2 stars.

Ares Management

Asset management firm Ares rose 11.77% in August and lost 17.35% over the past 12 months. Trading at $143.17, its stock has a forward dividend yield of 3.77%. Ares pays investors an annual dividend of $5.40 per share. The stock, which has a narrow economic moat, is trading at a 10% premium to its fair value estimate of $130 per share, leaving it with a Morningstar Rating of 3 stars.

Omnicom Group

Advertising agency Omnicom gained 11.22% in August and climbed 15.70% over the past 12 months. The stock’s $87.53 price gives it a forward dividend yield of 3.66%. Omnicom pays investors an annual dividend of $3.20 per share. With a fair value estimate of $115 per share and a narrow economic moat, the stock is 24% undervalued and has a Morningstar Rating of 4 stars.

Comcast

Telecom services firm Comcast rose 11.10% in August and lost 13.60% over the past 12 months. Trading at $26.62, its stock has a forward dividend yield of 4.96%. Comcast pays investors an annual dividend of $1.32 per share. The stock, which has a narrow economic moat, is trading at a 26% discount to its fair value estimate of $36 per share, leaving it with a Morningstar Rating of 4 stars.

JM Smucker Company

Packaged foods company JM Smucker climbed 10.92% in August and rose 22.69% over the past 12 months. At $131.16, its stock has a forward dividend yield of 3.42% and an annual dividend of $4.48 per share. The stock, which has no economic moat, is trading at a 9% premium to its fair value estimate of $120 per share. It has a Morningstar Rating of 3 stars.

The Best Dividend Stock Leaders: More Ideas to Consider

Investors who would like to find more top-performing or cheap dividend stocks can do the following:

• Use the Morningstar Investor Screener tool to find the best dividend stocks according to your specific criteria. You can search for stocks based on their dividend yields, valuation measures like price/earnings ratios, and more.
• Use Morningstar Investor to build a watchlist of the best dividend stocks and easily follow their valuations, ratings, and dividend yields.
• Watch our dividend stock video series, hosted by David Harrell, for ideas to consider.
• Review the full list of dividend stocks included in the Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index. Stocks with Morningstar Ratings of 4 or 5 stars are undervalued, according to our metrics.
• When it comes to buying stocks, it’s more than just dividends. Read here how valuations and competitive advantages—known as economic moats—matter to a stock’s potential for outperformance.
• Read Morningstar’s Guide to Stock Investing to learn how our approach to investing can inform your stock-picking process.

Companies not formally covered by Morningstar analysts are statistically matched to analyst-rated companies, allowing our models to calculate a quantitative star rating.