Great stocks often start by being good stocks first.
When it comes to dividend investing, that can mean finding companies that are already rewarding shareholders, but aren’t yet relying on yield alone to attract attention. The better opportunities may come from businesses that are still growing, still gaining investor confidence, and still showing strong price momentum.
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That’s why, for this screen, I looked beyond the usual high-yield names and focused on dividend stocks that are up in 2026, have a good analyst following, and are “buy-rated”. Among the results, these are the top three dividend stocks leading the list so far this year.
How I came up with these stocks
Using Barchart’s Stock Screener, I selected the following filters to get my list:
I ran the screen and got 10 results, and I’ll cover the top three dividend stocks- with the highest year-to-date percent change.
Let’s start with the first company:
Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO)
Cisco Systems helps businesses connect networks, security systems, and digital infrastructure together. As companies prepare for their growing AI needs, Cisco is leveraging the agentic AI era to showcase how its technology supports the future of connected systems.
CSCO stock is up 61% since the start of the year, making it the top-performing dividend stock on this list. In terms of dividends, Cisco has raised its payouts for more than a decade, and investors currently get $1.68 per share, per year, translating to a yield of around 1.3%
Meanwhile, a consensus among 25 analysts rates the stock a “Moderate Buy”, with the high target prices suggesting as much as ~20.8% upside over the next year.
Netapp Inc (NTAP)
NetApp Inc. is a data infrastructure company that helps businesses keep their information stored, protected, and ready to use across cloud and enterprise systems. As cybersecurity becomes a greater concern for business data, NetApp has notably expanded its collaboration with Cisco through a new Splunk SOAR playbook for ransomware response.
As for the stock, it is up almost 60% year-to-date. And while the company has a relatively short recent dividend-growth record, likely off the radar on many income-focused investors’ radars, NetApp does pay an annual dividend of $2.08, translating to a yield of just over 1.%
NetApp’s performance is also well-recognized on Wall Street, with 21 analysts rating the stock a “Moderate Buy”. In fact, its high target prices suggest there’s about 20% upside over the next year.
Analog Devices (ADI)
And finally, we have Analog Devices. This is a semiconductor company that makes chips that power electronic systems across various industries, including automotive and communications. As AI infrastructure demands more efficient power delivery, ADI is working within NVIDIA’s MGX ecosystem to support the next generation of AI factories.
In terms of payouts, the company has raised dividends for 22 consecutive years. And since it’s listed in the S&P 500, if it raises the dividend just three more years, it’ll be included in the coveted Dividend Aristocrats list. Today, Analog Devices pays $4.40 per share, which translates to a ~1% yield. But the stock is also up over 48% since the start of the year.
Further, a consensus among 32 analysts rates the stock a “Strong Buy”, making it the top-rated dividend stock on this list with high target prices suggesting between around 25% upside potential over the next year.
Final thoughts
These three dividend stocks prove that income opportunities aren’t limited to the usual high-yield names or the most familiar blue-chip companies. Some businesses sit in the middle: still growing, still building their dividend track record, and still benefiting from major trends like AI, cybersecurity, and data infrastructure.
For investors willing to look beyond the obvious choices, these stocks may offer a mix of dividend growth and upside potential before they become more widely recognized.
On the date of publication, Rick Orford did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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