Investors Shift to High Dividend Stocks to Mitigate AI Risks
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 19 2026
0mins
Source: CNBC
- Dividend Stocks Outperform: Investor Jenny Harrington notes that dividend-paying stocks have excelled this year, with the iShares Select Dividend ETF up nearly 11% year-to-date, contrasting with the S&P 500's flat performance, indicating a shift in investor preference towards traditional economy stocks.
- Market Rebalancing Trend: Harrington highlights that investors are recognizing the “irrationally wide” performance and valuation gaps between big tech and old economy stocks, prompting a portfolio rebalancing to mitigate uncertainties posed by artificial intelligence disruptions.
- Quality Dividend Stock Picks: Harrington recommends Kimberly-Clark, which has gained over 7% year-to-date and offers a 4.66% dividend yield, emphasizing its 92 years of dividend payments and 54 years of increases, showcasing its stable financial performance and growth potential.
- Attractive REIT Investment: Vici Properties, a REIT leasing to Las Vegas casinos, offers a 6.06% dividend yield, with tenants experienced in navigating economic downturns, suggesting continued growth and dividend increases in the future.
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Analyst Views on UL
Wall Street analysts forecast UL stock price to rise
3 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 64.400
Low
60.10
Averages
68.37
High
74.00
Current: 64.400
Low
60.10
Averages
68.37
High
74.00
About UL
Unilever PLC is a United Kingdom-based global consumer goods business. The Company's segments include Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care and Foods. The Beauty & Wellbeing segment primarily sells hair care (shampoo, conditioner, styling), skin care (face, hand and body moisturizers) and includes Prestige Beauty and Wellbeing. The Personal Care segment primarily sells skin cleansing (soap, shower), deodorant and oral care (toothpaste, toothbrush, mouthwash) products. The Home Care segment primarily sells fabric care (washing powders and liquids, rinse conditioners) and a range of home and hygiene cleaning products. The Foods segment primarily sells cooking aids and mini-meals (soups, bouillons, seasonings), condiments (mayonnaise, ketchup) and Unilever Food Solutions. The Company's beauty & wellbeing brands include CLEAR, Dermalogica, Liquid I.V., Dove and TRESemme. The Company's home care brands include Cif, Comfort, Domestos, OMO, Radiant, Sunlight and Surf.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Strategic Adjustments and Acquisitions: Unilever is narrowing its focus by acquiring premium personal care brands like Dr. Squatch and Minimalist, while planning a €1.5 billion share buyback in Q2 2026, aimed at enhancing shareholder returns and competitive positioning in the market.
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- Technical Analysis Tool: Comparing the latest stock price to the 200-day moving average can provide valuable insights for investors, helping to assess market trends and identify potential buying opportunities.
- ETF Trading Mechanism: Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) trade similarly to stocks, where investors buy and sell 'units' that can be created or destroyed based on demand, impacting the liquidity and market performance of the ETF.
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- Dividend Stocks Outperform: Investor Jenny Harrington notes that dividend-paying stocks have excelled this year, with the iShares Select Dividend ETF up nearly 11% year-to-date, contrasting with the S&P 500's flat performance, indicating a shift in investor preference towards traditional economy stocks.
- Market Rebalancing Trend: Harrington highlights that investors are recognizing the “irrationally wide” performance and valuation gaps between big tech and old economy stocks, prompting a portfolio rebalancing to mitigate uncertainties posed by artificial intelligence disruptions.
- Quality Dividend Stock Picks: Harrington recommends Kimberly-Clark, which has gained over 7% year-to-date and offers a 4.66% dividend yield, emphasizing its 92 years of dividend payments and 54 years of increases, showcasing its stable financial performance and growth potential.
- Attractive REIT Investment: Vici Properties, a REIT leasing to Las Vegas casinos, offers a 6.06% dividend yield, with tenants experienced in navigating economic downturns, suggesting continued growth and dividend increases in the future.
See More
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- Unilever's Growth Performance: In 2025, Unilever achieved a 3.5% underlying sales growth, accelerating to 4.2% in Q4, primarily driven by its Power Brands, which account for 78% of turnover and grew by 4.3%, indicating strong demand in premium segments and a strategic shift towards digital commerce.
- McCormick's Stable Revenue: McCormick reported full-year revenue of $6.84 billion in 2025, up 1.73%, with its Consumer segment contributing $1.127 billion in Q4, a 3.9% increase; however, gross margin contracted by 130 basis points to 38.9% due to commodity costs and tariff pressures, impacting profitability.
- Strategic Adjustments and Acquisitions: Unilever is narrowing its focus by acquiring premium personal care brands like Dr. Squatch and Minimalist, while planning a €1.5 billion share buyback in Q2 2026, aimed at enhancing shareholder returns and competitive positioning in the market.
- McCormick's Margin Recovery Challenge: McCormick's CEO stated that despite two consecutive quarters of margin compression, the outlook for 2026 remains hopeful for sales growth and margin recovery; however, a rising tax rate towards 24% and increased interest expenses may hinder profitability.
See More
Foreign Stocks Struggle Amid Iran Conflict: Now Is the Time to Invest.
Global Market Impact: The ongoing war with Iran is causing significant disruptions in international markets, leading to increased concerns among investors.
Investment Opportunities: Despite the turmoil, foreign stocks are perceived as undervalued and present potential buying opportunities for investors.
See More
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Global Market Impact: The ongoing war with Iran is causing significant disruptions in international markets, leading to increased uncertainty for investors.
Investment Opportunities: Despite the turmoil, foreign stocks are perceived as undervalued and present potential buying opportunities for investors looking for bargains.
See More
Unilever Ventures Invests in Novos, Focusing on Longevity Science
- Investment Partnership: Unilever Ventures has acquired a minority stake in longevity biotech company Novos, reflecting a shared belief in science-led approaches to longevity, which is expected to drive further development of Novos in the nutraceuticals sector.
- R&D Achievements: Novos' flagship product, Novos Core, successfully extended the lifespan of aged mice by over 18% in animal studies and demonstrated significant improvements in cardiovascular health during clinical trials, particularly in enhancing vascular dilation capacity, indicating its effectiveness and market potential.
- Clinical Trial Advantages: In a double-blind, randomized controlled trial at the University of Surrey, Novos Core improved flow-mediated dilation (FMD) by 2.6 to 2.9 percentage points, far exceeding the effects typically seen with other supplements, showcasing its leading position in scientific validation.
- Market Expansion: Novos is currently sold directly to consumers in 180 countries and is available in the U.S. at retailers such as the Mayo Clinic store, Erewhon in Los Angeles, and select Four Seasons and Equinox gyms, with expectations to drive sales growth through increased consumer awareness.
See More
PLDR Stock Price Analysis and ETF Dynamics
- Price Fluctuation Analysis: PLDR's 52-week low is $26.61 per share, with a high of $37.8467, and the latest trade at $36.07 indicates price volatility near its peak, potentially influencing investor buying decisions.
- Technical Analysis Tool: Comparing the latest stock price to the 200-day moving average can provide valuable insights for investors, helping to assess market trends and identify potential buying opportunities.
- ETF Trading Mechanism: Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) trade similarly to stocks, where investors buy and sell 'units' that can be created or destroyed based on demand, impacting the liquidity and market performance of the ETF.
- Inflows and Outflows Monitoring: Weekly monitoring of changes in shares outstanding for ETFs focuses on those experiencing notable inflows (new units created) or outflows (old units destroyed), assessing their impact on underlying assets and market sentiment.
See More
Investors Shift to High Dividend Stocks to Mitigate AI Risks
- Dividend Stocks Outperform: Investor Jenny Harrington notes that dividend-paying stocks have excelled this year, with the iShares Select Dividend ETF up nearly 11% year-to-date, contrasting with the S&P 500's flat performance, indicating a shift in investor preference towards traditional economy stocks.
- Market Rebalancing Trend: Harrington highlights that investors are recognizing the “irrationally wide” performance and valuation gaps between big tech and old economy stocks, prompting a portfolio rebalancing to mitigate uncertainties posed by artificial intelligence disruptions.
- Quality Dividend Stock Picks: Harrington recommends Kimberly-Clark, which has gained over 7% year-to-date and offers a 4.66% dividend yield, emphasizing its 92 years of dividend payments and 54 years of increases, showcasing its stable financial performance and growth potential.
- Attractive REIT Investment: Vici Properties, a REIT leasing to Las Vegas casinos, offers a 6.06% dividend yield, with tenants experienced in navigating economic downturns, suggesting continued growth and dividend increases in the future.
See More
