Morningstar’s Investing Insights podcast recently spotlighted four S&P 500 stocks that have already declared dividend increases of 10% or more, effectively locking in their place on next year’s Dividend Growers screen, which requires companies to grow dividends at least 10% annually.
The host’s framing was simple: “Dividends are paid out from earnings. So companies that are able to increase their dividends at a high ongoing rate are quality companies with growing earnings.” Defensive investors also like the category because dividend growers tend to strike a balance between the dividend income high-yielders offer and the earnings growth driven by earnings reinvestment that lower-yielding companies tend to provide.
Here are four Dividend Growers that have already declared 10% dividend increases for next year:
NextEra Energy
NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE | NEE Price Prediction) is the largest U.S. utility by market cap at ~$202.4 billion, operating Florida Power & Light and a renewables development arm with a ~33 GW backlog. Management guides to roughly 10% annual dividend growth through 2026, with the Q1 2026 quarterly payout stepping up to $0.6232 from $0.5665. Shares are up 50.7% over the past year. Q1 adjusted EPS rose 10% YoY to $1.09.
Snap-on
Snap-on (NYSE:SNA), the Kenosha-based professional tools maker, raised its quarterly dividend to $2.44 from $2.14, clearing the 10% bar. Q1 2026 revenue of $1.207 billion beat consensus by 2.48%, and the board authorized a $500 million repurchase. CEO Nick Pinchuk cited “robust sales growth with customers in critical industries” despite tariff and FX turbulence.
MSCI
MSCI (NYSE:MSCI) lifted its quarterly dividend to $2.05 from $1.80, a 13.9% step-up. The index provider posted Q1 2026 revenue of $850.8 million, up 14.1% YoY, with ETF AUM linked to MSCI indexes at $2.4 trillion and operating margin expanding to 53.7%.
Motorola Solutions
Motorola Solutions (NYSE:MSI) bumped its quarterly dividend to $1.21 from $1.09, extending a streak of double-digit raises. The mission-critical communications leader closed 2025 with a record $15.7 billion backlog and guides to ~$12.7 billion in 2026 revenue with non-GAAP EPS of $16.70 to $16.85.
Two Exit Stories Worth Watching
Zoetis (NYSE:ZTS) announced only a 6% dividend increase, raising its quarterly payout to $0.53 from $0.50. Unless the animal-health company announces a second increase this year, which is unlikely based on historical patterns, it will likely drop off the screen.
NextEra qualifies this cycle, but management’s 6% annual dividend growth guidance from year-end 2026 through 2028 signals a probable exit the following year. Investors monitoring dividend growth as a quality proxy should keep an eye on that step-down, since the screen rewards consistency above the 10% line.