18 Best Dividend Growth Stocks For The Long Term

The best dividend stocks pay rising dividends year after year. These are typically well known businesses with long dividend histories.

But that's not all. You have to look at much more than on consequent paid dividends. You must look at debt ratios, growth figures, valuation levels, and much more.

However, global economic headwinds are leaving investors perplexed about which stocks to bank on. The markets have been on a roller coaster ride in the recent past – either due to the flagging Chinese economy, the Eurozone debt crisis or the U.S. Federal Reserve’s pending decision over the first rate hike. Moreover, weakness in the energy sector and a strong dollar are nagging concerns.

We have to focus on stocks with long-term potential to avoid short-term problems. Today's screen is long-term orientated. I've put my focus on the best 5 year earnings growth forecast.

These are my screening criteria in detail

- Dividend Achiever Member (over 10 year's consecutive dividend growth)
- 5 Year Predicted EPS Growth Over 5%
- Market Cap over 2 Billion
- Forward P/E under 15
- Debt/Equity under 0.5

18 stocks jumped on my screen. The results can be found at the end of this wonderful article.

Here are the 5 top yielding results...

Cullen/Frost Bank -- Yield: 4.27%
Cullen/Frost Bank (NYSE:CFR) employs 4,154 people, generates revenue of $701.47 million and has a net income of $277.98 million. The current market capitalization stands at $3.11 billion.

Cullen/Frost Bank’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $379.23 million. The EBITDA margin is 37.66% (the operating margin is 33.37% and the net profit margin 27.60%).

Financials: The total debt represents 3.68% of Cullen/Frost Bank assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 36.48%. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 10.59% was realized by Cullen/Frost Bank.

Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $4.47. Last fiscal year, Cullen/Frost Bank paid $2.03 in the form of dividends to shareholders.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 11.10, the P/S ratio is 3.07 and the P/B ratio is finally 1.16. The dividend yield amounts to 4.27%.

Stock Charts:

Long-Term Stock Price Chart of Cullen/Frost Bank (CFR)

Long-Term Dividend Payment History of Cullen/Frost Bank (CFR)

Long-Term Dividend Yield History of Cullen/Frost Bank (CFR)

QUALCOMM -- Yield: 4.02%

QUALCOMM (NASDAQ:QCOM) employs 33,000 people, generates revenue of $25,281.00 million and has a net income of $5,268.00 million. The current market capitalization stands at $69.23 billion.

QUALCOMM’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $7,350.00 million. The EBITDA margin is 29.07% (the operating margin is 22.12% and the net profit margin 20.84%).

Financials: The total debt represents 21.59% of QUALCOMM assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 34.91%. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 14.93% was realized by QUALCOMM.

Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $3.20. Last fiscal year, QUALCOMM paid $1.80 in the form of dividends to shareholders.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 14.90, the P/S ratio is 2.84 and the P/B ratio is finally 2.32. The dividend yield amounts to 4.02%.

Stock Charts:

Long-Term Stock Price Chart of QUALCOMM (QCOM)

Long-Term Dividend Payment History of QUALCOMM (QCOM)

Long-Term Dividend Yield History of QUALCOMM (QCOM)

Best Buy -- Yield: 3.48%

Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) employs 125,000 people, generates revenue of $40,339.00 million and has a net income of $1,246.00 million. The current market capitalization stands at $9.99 billion.

Best Buy’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $2,099.00 million. The EBITDA margin is 5.20% (the operating margin is 3.59% and the net profit margin 3.09%).

Financials: The total debt represents 10.63% of Best Buy assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 32.45%. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 27.75% was realized by Best Buy.

Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $2.41. Last fiscal year, Best Buy paid $0.72 in the form of dividends to shareholders.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 10.98, the P/S ratio is 0.22 and the P/B ratio is finally 1.86. The dividend yield amounts to 3.48%.

Stock Charts:

Long-Term Stock Price Chart of Best Buy (BBY)

Long-Term Dividend Payment History of Best Buy (BBY)

Long-Term Dividend Yield History of Best Buy (BBY)

BOK Financial -- Yield: 3.47%

BOK Financial (NASDAQ:BOKF) employs 4,743 people, generates revenue of $732.24 million and has a net income of $295.48 million. The current market capitalization stands at $3.39 billion.

BOK Financial’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $502.72 million. The EBITDA margin is 39.34% (the operating margin is 33.68% and the net profit margin 23.12%).

Financials: The total debt represents 5.58% of BOK Financial assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 49.15%. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 9.15% was realized by BOK Financial.

Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $4.25. Last fiscal year, BOK Financial paid $1.62 in the form of dividends to shareholders.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 11.67, the P/S ratio is 2.63 and the P/B ratio is finally 1.04. The dividend yield amounts to 3.47%.

Stock Charts:

Long-Term Stock Price Chart of BOK Financial (BOKF)

Long-Term Dividend Payment History of BOK Financial (BOKF)

Long-Term Dividend Yield History of BOK Financial (BOKF)

T. Rowe Price Group -- Yield: 3.17%

T. Rowe Price Group (NASDAQ:TROW) employs 5,908 people, generates revenue of $3,982.10 million and has a net income of $1,229.60 million. The current market capitalization stands at $16.24 billion.

T. Rowe Price Group’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $2,002.60 million. The EBITDA margin is 50.29% (the operating margin is 47.48% and the net profit margin 30.88%).

Financials: The total debt represents 0.00% of T. Rowe Price Group assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 0.00%. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 23.80% was realized by T. Rowe Price Group.

Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $4.51. Last fiscal year, T. Rowe Price Group paid $1.76 in the form of dividends to shareholders.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 14.53, the P/S ratio is 4.14 and the P/B ratio is finally 3.17. The dividend yield amounts to 3.17%.

Stock Charts: