10 Top-Performing US Dividend Stocks

Dividend-paying stocks that combine healthy balance sheets with hefty yields can provide investors with steady incomes, cushion against market downturns, and grow investments at a healthy clip.

In October 2026, the top-performing dividend-payers included security and protection services firm ADT ADT, information technology services company Accenture ACN, and packaged foods company Lamb Weston LW.

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 October

1. ADT ADT
2. Accenture ACN
3. Lamb Weston LW
4. H&R Block HRB
5. Murphy Oil MUR
6. Fidelity National Information Services FIS
7. Chord Energy CHRD
8. Black Hills BKH
9. Stanley Black & Decker SWK
10. NorthWestern Energy NWE

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 9.73%. The broad Morningstar Dividend Composite Index gained 6.6%. In the 12 months leading up to Oct. 31, the dividend leaders index gained 31.73%, and the dividend composite index gained 23.19%.

The overall US stock market, as measured by the Morningstar US Market Index, has lost 0.72% on the month and has risen 12.06% on the year.

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

ADT

Security and protection services firm ADT rose 62.17% in October and gained 14.03% over the past 12 months. Trading at $9.86, its stock has a forward dividend yield of 2.23%. ADT pays investors an annual dividend of $0.22 per share. The stock has a quantitative Morningstar Rating of 3 stars.

Accenture

Information technology services company Accenture climbed 42.01% in October and rose 5.89% over the past 12 months. At $258.24, its stock has a forward dividend yield of 2.65% and an annual dividend of $6.84 per share. The stock, which has a narrow economic moat, is trading at a 14% premium to its fair value estimate of $226 per share. It has a Morningstar Rating of 3 stars.

Lamb Weston

Packaged foods company Lamb Weston gained 29.72% in October and dropped 10.55% over the past 12 months. The stock’s $54.08 price gives it a forward dividend yield of 2.81%. Lamb Weston pays investors an annual dividend of $1.52 per share. With a fair value estimate of $65 per share and a narrow economic moat, the stock is 17% undervalued and has a Morningstar Rating of 4 stars.

H&R Block

Personal services firm H&R Block climbed 25.61% in October and rose 6.61% over the past 12 months. At $51.31, its stock has a forward dividend yield of 3.59% and an annual dividend of $1.84 per share. It has a quantitative Morningstar Rating of 4 stars.

Murphy Oil

Oil and gas exploration and production company Murphy Oil rose 18.72% in October and gained 60.16% over the past 12 months. Trading at $43.95, its stock has a forward dividend yield of 3.19%. Murphy Oil pays investors an annual dividend of $1.40 per share. The stock has a quantitative Morningstar Rating of 3 stars.

Fidelity National Information Services

Information technology services company Fidelity National gained 17.17% in October and dropped 35.59% over the past 12 months. The stock’s $38.55 price gives it a forward dividend yield of 4.57%. Fidelity National pays investors an annual dividend of $1.76 per share. With a fair value estimate of $77 per share and a narrow economic moat, the stock is 50% undervalued and has a Morningstar Rating of 5 stars.

Chord Energy

Oil and gas exploration and production company Chord rose 17.10% in October and gained 78.78% over the past 12 months. Trading at $156.99, its stock has a forward dividend yield of 3.31%. Chord pays investors an annual dividend of $5.20 per share. The stock has a quantitative Morningstar Rating of 4 stars.

Black Hills

Regulated gas company Black Hills climbed 17.02% in October and rose 33.68% over the past 12 months. At $82.01, its stock has a forward dividend yield of 3.43% and an annual dividend of $2.81 per share. It has a quantitative Morningstar Rating of 3 stars.

Stanley Black & Decker

Tools and accessories firm Stanley Black & Decker gained 16.76% in October and climbed 57.66% over the past 12 months. The stock’s $103.44 price gives it a forward dividend yield of 3.25%. Stanley Black & Decker pays investors an annual dividend of $3.36 per share. The stock has a quantitative Morningstar Rating of 5 stars.

NorthWestern Energy

Regulated electric company NorthWestern rose 16.72% in October and gained 38.23% over the past 12 months. Trading at $79.81, its stock has a forward dividend yield of 3.36%. NorthWestern pays investors an annual dividend of $2.68 per share. The stock has a quantitative Morningstar Rating of 3 stars.

What Is the Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index?

The Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index captures the performance of the 100 highest-yielding stocks that have consistent records of paying dividends and can sustain those payments.

It’s a subset of the Morningstar US Market Index (which represents 97% of equity market capitalization) that includes only securities whose dividends are qualified income. Real estate investment trusts are excluded. Companies are screened for dividend consistency and sustainability. Each must have a positive five-year dividend per share growth and a dividend coverage ratio greater than 1. The 100 highest-yielding stocks are included in the index, weighted by the dollar value of their dividends. See the full rulebook here.

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 those stocks’ valuations, ratings, and dividend yields.
• Watch our dividend stock video series, hosted by David Harrell, for ideas to consider.
• When it comes to buying stocks, it’s more than just dividends. Read how valuations and competitive advantages—known as economic moats—matter when it comes 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 a Morningstar analyst are statistically matched to analyst-rated companies, allowing our models to calculate a quantitative star rating.