Recent swings in tech and AI stocks, fresh signals from the Federal Reserve about possible rate hikes, and a sharp pullback in oil prices have pushed many investors to look again at steady dividend payers. Instead of chasing the latest trend, some readers may be weighing companies that pair dividend income with business models that can handle bumps in the market. This article looks at three dividend stocks that screen well for dividend strength, dividend growth, and payout discipline, and explores how exposed they are to these latest macro and sector headlines.

Victory Capital Holdings (VCTR)

Overview: Victory Capital Holdings is an asset manager based in San Antonio that runs a broad range of funds and portfolios, from mutual funds and ETFs to alternative strategies, for institutions, advisers, retirement plans, and individual investors in the US and overseas.

Operations: Victory Capital Holdings generates about US$1.5b in revenue from providing investment management services and related investment products.

Market Cap: US$5.2b

Victory Capital Holdings stands out in this dividend focused screen because it combines recurring fee income from US$338.9b of assets under management with a growing payout, highlighted by the recent quarterly dividend increase to US$0.50 per share. Forecast earnings growth of 32.38% a year and high expected 3 year ROE of 27.2% sit alongside a P/E that is below the broader US market. This combination may appeal if you are rotating away from volatile tech towards financials with steadier cash generation. At the same time, fee pressure, funding risk from relying on external borrowing, and past margin compression mean this is not a simple income story, and those trade offs are worth understanding before relying on the dividend.

Victory Capital’s accelerating earnings forecasts, high expected ROE and below market P/E suggest the headline dividend story might only be half the picture, so it is worth reading the 2 key rewards and 1 important warning sign

First National Financial (TSX:FN)

Overview: First National Financial is a Toronto based non bank lender that originates, underwrites, and services residential and commercial mortgages across Canada. It works mainly through mortgage brokers to finance single family homes, multi unit properties, and commercial real estate.

Operations: First National Financial generates about CA$697.9m in revenue, with roughly CA$478.7m from residential mortgages and CA$219.1m from commercial mortgages, all in Canada.

Market Cap: CA$2.9b

First National Financial may be of interest if you are rotating out of more volatile technology holdings and toward companies with visible cash flows and income potential, given its 5.21% dividend yield and focus on mortgage servicing across Canada. Revenue is forecast to grow about 17.09% a year, but net income for the latest quarter slipped to CA$2.85m and earnings per share fell sharply. This highlights how sensitive results can be to funding costs and mortgage volumes. A high reported ROE of 25.1% and high quality earnings sit alongside heavy use of external borrowing and weak cash flow coverage of debt, so the headline yield and below market average P/E represent only part of the picture for investors to consider.

First National Financial’s high ROE and 5.21% yield sit beside weak cash flow coverage and heavy borrowing, so it is worth reading the 3 key rewards and 1 important major warning sign

Ninety One Group (LSE:N91)

Overview: Ninety One Group is an independent global asset manager based in Cape Town that runs investment strategies for institutions, pension funds, insurers, wealth managers and retail platforms across public and private markets, with a long heritage in South Africa and an LSE listing.

Operations: Ninety One Group generates about £650.2m of revenue from its investment management business, with roughly £200.7m from South Africa, £460.8m from the UK, and £101.8m from the rest of the world.

Market Cap: £2.0b

Ninety One Group may catch your eye if you want dividend income from a global asset manager that is already earning solid margins and ROE while trading close to estimated fair value, yet still working through industry headwinds like fee pressure and investor preference for passive funds. The company sits at the intersection of higher interest rates, renewed volatility in tech, and large pools of client cash on the sidelines, which can influence flows into both fixed income and emerging market strategies. At the same time, the Sanlam partnership, technology investments and cost discipline have trade offs for near term earnings and margins that are not fully obvious from headline valuation and dividend yield alone.

Ninety One Group sits at the crossroads of higher rates, fee pressure and large pools of idle cash. The real story is how that combination flows through its margins, flows and valuation in the analysis report for Ninety One Group

The three dividend stocks covered here are only a starting point, since the full Dividend Stocks screener surfaced 25 more companies with dividend profiles and stories that line up with this income focused idea. Use Simply Wall St to identify and analyze the specific dividend catalysts, payout trends, and business narratives that matter to you, so you can focus on the highest conviction opportunities.

Take Control of Your Investment Journey

If Victory Capital Holdings or any of these companies sound like a great opportunity, register for FREE with Simply Wall St and add your companies to a Watchlist to monitor the share price against the fair value the ideal entry point. Once you've made your move, manage your holdings with our Portfolio Command Center that filters out the noise to deliver only the most critical, actionable updates. Throughout your journey, our Community allows you to filter the best ideas from thousands of investor perspectives. By uncovering hidden catalysts and risks early, you'll accelerate your decision-making and stay one step ahead of the market.

Seeking Alternatives Before Everyone Else?

Fresh breakouts and under the radar momentum rarely stay quiet for long. Use these focused shortlists before the crowd catches on and pricing moves, and aim to get in early.

• Spot companies building real traction in digital assets by scanning the curated 19 cryptocurrency and blockchain stocks before sentiment swings and opportunities feel crowded.
• Track industrials and miners tied to the energy transition with the focused 8 top copper producer stocks while demand themes are forming and expectations are still reasonable.
• Zero in on compounding balance sheet strength using the curated list of solid balance sheet and fundamentals (48 results) before quality premiums widen and potential bargains fade away.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.