We recently published a list of 25 Best Dividend Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) stands against other best dividend stocks to buy according to billionaires.
Dividend stocks have been overshadowed in the market as tech and AI-related equities have surged to record levels. However, Ned Davis Research suggests that a more challenging macroeconomic environment this year could create favorable conditions for dividend stocks to gain traction.
With concerns over economic growth and uncertainty surrounding President Trump’s tariff policies, investors have been looking for defensive strategies. In this context, dividend stocks have performed well, providing a safe haven while offering attractive passive income opportunities. The Dividend Aristocrat index, which tracks the performance of companies with at least 25 consecutive years of dividend growth, has surged by nearly 5% in 2025, as compared to a 0.32% decline in the broader market, as of the close of March 3.
Companies that consistently pay dividends are often viewed as stable investments due to their reliable cash flows and financial strength. These firms typically operate in non-cyclical sectors like consumer staples, utilities, and healthcare, making them less susceptible to economic downturns and helping investors mitigate portfolio risks. At the start of 2025, heightened concerns about resurgent inflation and stagnating economic growth prompted investors to bolster their portfolios with defensive stocks. This strategic shift aimed to safeguard investments against potential market volatility associated with these economic challenges.
Ned Davis’s Clissold and his team made the following comment on the situation:
“One would expect that companies that pay dividends are more stable and have lower growth rates. As a result, they should rally less in up markets and decline less in down markets. In other words, they have lower betas than non-dividend-payers. … As a group, dividend-payers have a beta of 0.99 versus 1.11 for nonpayers.”
Analysts are optimistic about the growth of dividend stocks, largely due to anticipated increases in free cash flow (FCF). FCF represents the cash a company has remaining after covering its operating expenses and capital expenditures. This surplus is crucial for corporate boards when deciding on capital allocation strategies, such as enhancing dividend payouts or initiating stock buyback programs. Ameriprise Financial projects a continuous rise in FCF growth through 2027, suggesting that companies with substantial FCF are likely to expand their dividend distributions and share repurchase initiatives in 2025.
The report further mentioned that typically, mature companies—those beyond their initial growth phases—and businesses benefiting from significant economies of scale or operating in less capital-intensive industries generate higher levels of FCF. Sectors such as communication services, consumer staples, and information technology often exhibit elevated FCF, positioning them well for potential increases in shareholder returns.
In dividend investing, investors often favor companies that have consistently increased their payouts. BMO suggested that dividend growth stocks can help strengthen portfolios during periods of market volatility while enhancing overall returns. The firm emphasizes that a dividend growth strategy targets stocks that offer both yield and growth potential, as these companies generally demonstrate a track record of stable earnings and cash flow. Over the long term, such attributes tend to be valued by investors.
Our Methodology
For this article, we scanned Insider Monkey’s Q4 2024 proprietary database of billionaires’ stock holdings and identified dividend stocks from the list. From that group, we picked the top 25 stocks with at least 2% dividend yields, as of March 3. All of these billionaires are founders or managers of some of the top hedge funds in the world.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
Is Citigroup Inc. (C) the Best Dividend Stock to Buy According to Billionaires?
A team of financial advisors huddled around a desk, discussing the best investment strategy for their client.
Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) is an American multinational investment banking company. Operating in over 180 countries, the company has a physical presence in 94 markets worldwide, offering a broad range of financial products and services to individuals, investors, institutions, and corporations. In the US, it stands out as a leader in both wealth management and personal banking. The stock has delivered a nearly 37.5% return in the past 12 months, outperforming the broader market.
In fiscal 2024, Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C)’s net income surged nearly 40% to $12.7 billion, surpassing its revenue target. This strong performance was driven by growth across its Services, Wealth, and US Personal Banking segments. Citigroup also improved efficiency by managing expenses effectively and executing a major restructuring. Annual revenue grew 3% year-over-year to $81.1 billion.
Reinforcing its commitment to shareholder returns, Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) distributed $6.7 billion in 2024 through dividends and share buybacks. With an uninterrupted 34-year history of dividend payments, it remains one of the best dividend stocks on our list. The company’s quarterly dividend comes in at $0.56 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.86%, as recorded on March 3.
Overall, C ranks 6th on our list of best dividend stocks to buy according to billionaires. While we acknowledge the potential for C as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than C but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
