We recently compiled a list of the 12 52-Week Low Dividend Stocks To Consider. In this article, we are going to take a look at where John Bean Technologies Corporation (NYSE:JBT) stands against the other 52-week low dividend stocks.

Dividend stocks have noticeably lagged over the past year or so, with tech stocks dominating the spotlight. However, with major tech companies beginning to implement dividend policies, there is renewed optimism for investors, offering a mix of growth and dividend potential. Currently, all eyes are on the Fed’s upcoming decision on interest rate cuts, which could significantly benefit dividend-paying stocks.

While keeping an eye on the future performance of dividend stocks is crucial, it’s also wise to look back and see how these equities have weathered different market storms. A report from S&P Dow Jones Indices revealed that dividends have been crucial in generating overall equity returns. Since 1926, dividends have accounted for about 32% of the total return for the broader market, with capital appreciation contributing 68%. Consequently, both reliable dividend income and the potential for capital appreciation are key factors in setting expectations for total returns.

Also read: 14 Best 52-Week High Stocks to Buy According to Short Sellers

Inflation is rarely a friend to investments, as the past year has demonstrated. However, dividend stocks have historically held their ground during periods of high inflation. In the 1940s, 1960s, and 1970s—decades characterized by high inflation and total returns below 10%—dividends made a significant contribution to overall returns, as reported by Hartford Funds.

Among dividend strategies, the Dividend Aristocrats Index is the most well-known, tracking companies with at least 25 consecutive years of dividend growth. These stocks are generally less volatile than other asset classes, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices. Over the long term, the Dividend Aristocrats have outperformed the broader market with lower volatility, resulting in higher risk-adjusted returns. The index’s ability to protect against downside risk is evident in its capture ratios: it has outperformed the market in 69.34% of down months and 43.61% of up months. Moreover, the Dividend Aristocrats experienced a smaller drawdown compared to the benchmark index.

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Analysts believe that the movement of returns on investments is shaped by market forces. Daniel Peris, a portfolio manager with Federated Hermes and author of a recent book on the future of dividends, suggested that stock market price appreciation alone might not meet the needs of income-seeking investors in the coming years. This, he believed, would likely drive companies to increase their payouts to remain competitive with cash and bonds. He indicated that more companies might start offering dividends and make them a more significant part of their value proposition. However, investors need to be cautious when investing in dividend equities. According to Michael Clarfeld, who manages the Dividend Strategy portfolios at ClearBridge Investments, dividend investing is about making informed decisions by examining a company’s cash flows and how they distribute payouts to investors.

The recent dip in the performance of dividend stocks has made them more attractive to investors. The Dividend Aristocrats Index has seen an increase of nearly 9% since the beginning of 2024, while the broader market has returned 16.5%. These stocks could present a good entry point for investors due to the steady income they offer, providing stability and predictability for a portfolio during volatile times. Given this, we will take a look at some of the best 52-week low stocks that pay dividends.

Our Methodology:

For this article, we first listed down all dividend stocks that recently hit their 52-week lows. We then used Insider Monkey’s exclusive database of 912 leading hedge funds to get the hedge fund sentiment for each stock. Finally, we narrowed our list to 12 of these stocks that had the highest number of hedge fund investors, as tracked by Insider Monkey in Q2 2024.

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 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points. (see more details here).

A close-up of a technician mixing ingredients in a large food processing factory.

John Bean Technologies Corporation (NYSE:JBT)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 19

1-Year Share Price Decline as of  September 4: 18.2%

52 Week Range: $86.12 – $111.43

John Bean Technologies Corporation (NYSE:JBT) is an Illinois-based food processing machinery and automated vehicle company. On June 24, 2024, the company officially presented a voluntary takeover offer to acquire all outstanding shares of Marel (ICL: Marel). Marel shareholders will have the option to choose between receiving all cash, all JBT common stock, or a combination of both for each Marel share, subject to a proration feature. This feature will lead to an overall consideration consisting of about 65 percent stock and 35 percent cash. Shareholders of Marel will receive a total of €950 million in cash and will retain approximately a 38 percent ownership stake in the merged company. The merger was not well-received by investors when it was first announced earlier this year, leading to a significant decline in the company’s shares following the announcement. Since the start of 2024, the stock has fallen by nearly 8%. Conestoga Capital Advisors also highlighted this in its Q4 2023 investor letter. Here is what the firm wrote:

John Bean Technologies Corporation (NYSE:JBT) reported mixed earnings in the second quarter of 2024 due to a slow recovery in equipment demand from North American poultry customers. The company’s revenue for the quarter came in at $402.3 million, down 6% from the same period last year. The overall results were affected by a revenue shortfall, partly due to the performance of book and ship orders, as well as a temporary delay in progress on ongoing projects and aftermarket parts orders related to a system upgrade.

However, John Bean Technologies Corporation’s (NYSE:JBT) cash flow generation was a positive development for income investors. In the first six months of the year, the company reported an operating cash flow of $32 million and its free cash flow came in at $14 million. During this period, it returned $6.4 million to shareholders through dividends, which makes JBT one of the best 52-week low stocks that pay dividends. The company pays a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.45%, as of September 4.

Insider Monkey’s database of Q2 2024 indicated that 19 hedge funds held stakes in John Bean Technologies Corporation’s (NYSE:JBT), which remained unchanged from the previous quarter. These stakes have a total value of over $226.4 million. Among these hedge funds, Royce & Associates was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q2.

Overall JBT ranks 8th on our list of the 52-week low dividend stocks to consider. While we acknowledge the potential for JBT 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 timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than JBT but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.