These 3 Stocks Hit the Market in 2026 and Just Announced Hefty Dividend Increases

Despite dropping a whopping 7% in the first few months of the year, the S&P 500 Index has performed well in 2026. Overall, the index's total return remains close to 10%, which is roughly in line with its average return over a full year.

Three stocks that recently increased their dividends not only beat the S&P 500 this year, but also boast larger dividend yields than the index average. Using the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA: SPY ) as a proxy, the index's yield is approximately 1%.

These three names have strong yields above that level, and after a significant increase, they continue to provide strong dividend sustainability.

Levi's Beats and Raises, Yields Over 2.5%.

Famous clothing and denim company Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE: LEVI ) performed strongly in 2026. The stock's annualized total return is over 15%, easily outperforming the S&P 500 Index. Although LEVI fell slightly by 2.2% after its latest earnings report, the company confirmed earlier gains in print.

Levi's revenue growth of 8% significantly exceeded estimates, driven by strong 19% growth in its direct-to-consumer e-commerce channel. It beat on adjusted earnings per share (EPS) and raised full-year guidance for both sales and adjusted EPS for the second quarter in a row.

Levi's also announced a massive 14.3% dividend increase, raising its quarterly payout to 16 cents per share. The company plans to pay its next dividend on Aug. 5 to shareholders of record as of late July 22. paid a dividend of 2.65 %. Additionally, its payout ratio remains close to 36%, leaving its share well-supported by earnings and offering significant growth opportunities going forward.

Ryder System Rides Around 40% Profits by 2026, Ups Dividend 11%

Ryder System (NYSE: R) is a key player in the logistics, transportation, and logistics industry. The shares have delivered a very impressive return of nearly 40% through 2026, easily outpacing the overall market's gains. Ryder saw huge gains after its latest earnings report, rising nearly 10% in two days. This came as the company announced a significant increase in its adjusted EPS outlook for 2026.

The company's adjusted EPS view range was $13.45 to $14.45. Ryder raised this to between $14.05 and $14.80, an increase of about 48 cents in the middle. Ryder said market conditions for used car sales are improving and pointed to strong performance in its portfolio of high-end customer contracts. Importantly, more than 90% of the company's revenue comes from long-term contracts, which helps provide resilience to potential demand fluctuations.

Ryder recently announced a massive 11% increase in its budget. The company's dividend was $1.01 per share last time and the annual dividend for Aug. 24 with a maturity date of September 18. This is a long term dividend with an annual yield of 18%.

Unum Raises Dividend Nearly 10% After Earnings Beat, Eyes Big Buybacks

Unum Group is a key player in the insurance industry. The company primarily provides group disability, life, and long-term care insurance in the United States, as well as supplemental and replacement products. Unum has performed strongly in 2026, with its total return approaching 15%. The company impressed with its latest earnings report, with its adjusted operating EPS after tax rising nearly 10% to $2.14, just ahead of estimates. Its US group business performed particularly well, seeing sales rise 22%, and Group Life earnings hit a record.

Unum is also making huge profits. The company plans to spend about $1 billion on acquisitions in 2026, with about $400 million coming in Q1. These buyback plans are huge compared to Unum's market capitalization of nearly $14.3 billion.

Along with this, Unum recently announced that it has increased by 9.8%. Its quarterly payout will increase to 50.5 cents per share, and the stock has a strong forward dividend yield of 2.3%. The company plans to pay its next dividend on Aug. 14 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on July 24. Additionally, Unum's payout ratio is in good shape at 40%.

Analysts Show Confidence in Levi's Despite Price Uncertainty

Looking ahead, analysts are expressing a strong bullish rating on Levi's. The MarketBeat consensus price target for LEVI is $27.46, which implies a range upside of 13%. Investors may want to monitor changes in tax policy that could impact Levi's top line growth and margins, the company called the tax environment “uncertain.”

Levi's weathered the tax headwinds well last quarter, with its gross margin rising amid a sluggish economy. The company's current guidance assumes rising US prices for China purchases of 30%, and 20% for the rest of the world.

Companies mentioned in this article:

Company	Current Price	Price Changes	Dividend Yield	The P/E ratio	Consensus ratio	Consensus Price Target
Levi Strauss & Co. (LEVI)	$24.18	-0.5%	2.32%	14.93	Buy Medium	$27.46
Ryder System (R)	$265.66	-1.2%	1.37%	22.08	Buy Medium	$265.00
Unum Group (UNM)	$89.37	+2.1%	2.06%	19.43	Buy Medium	$98.09

About Leo Miller

Experience

Leo Miller has been a contributing writer for DividendStocks.com since 2024.

• Professional Background: Leo Miller is a financial writer with a background in investment research and market analysis. He held roles as an investment research partner at Laird Norton Wetherby and as a research analyst at Sungarden Investment Publishing, where he gained extensive experience in valuation and portfolio strategies.
• Confirmation: He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Washington's Foster School of Business, a top-ranked public business school. Passed the CFA Level II exam.
• Financial Experience: Leo started researching and investing in gold mining stocks in 2019 and started writing about finance and investing in 2021. He joined DividendStocks.com as a contributing writer in 2024, where he covers both stocks and ETFs. A strong research base and direct exposure to the financial markets shape his opinions.
• Writing Focus: He specializes in technology stocks, dividend-paying companies, ETFs, and value-oriented opportunities. His work emphasizes clarity, practical understanding, and education for investors at all levels.
• How to Invest: Leo follows a disciplined, long-term investment strategy based on fundamental analysis, with a strong focus on economics, industry and sector research, and passive investment principles.
• Motivation: Leo finds the stock market endlessly compelling and enjoys the challenge of separating meaningful data from the noise. He is interested in analyzing what makes businesses stand out—and sharing that insight to guide informed investment decisions. As he puts it, “Strong analysis requires separating the wheat from the chaff.”
• Fun fact: Leo credits his grandfather with sparking his interest in investing and is a lifelong animal lover.
• Areas of Expertise: Fundamental analysis, economics, industry and sector analysis

Education

Bachelor in Business Administration, Finance, Foster School of Business at the University of Washington