3 Dividend Stocks with Growth on Tap for the Second Half

Summary

In the 30 days ending July 8, the S&P 500 made a directional move of 1% or more four times. Some analysts will dismiss that as a consequence of large numbers. That is, the S&P 500 is over 7,500 points. Five years ago, that was around 4,300 and 10 years ago it was around 2,100. But investors perceive that as volatility, and that has many seeking safety outside of the volatile artificial intelligence trade. It’s hard to fault that strategy. Investors (who are also consumers) are dealing with sticky inflation, which impacts the outlook for interest rates and consumer sentiment. That would be enough, but investors also have to consider a tense geopolitical environment in the Middle East and Europe that suggests there may be many more directional moves of 1% or more in the S&P 500 for the remainder of 2026. Dividend Stocks Balance Safety With GrowthDespite the market gyrations, many investors sleep well at night. Their investment strategy includes dividend-paying stocks, so their portfolio generates regular, passive income. Many investors will dismiss dividend stocks as being too boring. It’s true that many of the best dividend stocks will not beat the performance of the S&P 500. That math doesn’t work for growth-oriented investors. But for investors looking for safety in a turbulent market, dividend stocks offer an attractive balance of enough growth to go along with a safe, growing dividend. Whether investors reinvest the dividends or use the cash as supplemental income, these stocks do what they’re designed to do. Here are three names that have an attractive total return outlook in the second half of 2026. IBM Delivers Dividend Growth Alongside AI InnovationIBM NYSE: IBM has successfully pivoted from its hardware roots into a major player in cloud computing. International Business Machines TodayIBMInternational Business Machines$290.07 +2.51 (+0.87%) As of 09:58 AM Eastern This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.52-Week Range$212.34▼$332.46Di...