10 Healthcare Dividend Growth Stocks Poised For Exceptional Dividend Increases

Article updated on May 27th, 2026 by Bob Ciura

The healthcare sector is home to some of the most popular dividend stocks in our investment universe.

The importance of healthcare in the lives of many consumers makes this sector one of the most stable and recession-resistant in the entire stock market, and allows well-managed healthcare companies to raise their dividends year in and year out.

Clearly, this sector holds appeal for dividend growth investors.

To that end, we’ve compiled a list of over 300 healthcare stocks (along with important investing metrics like price-to-earnings ratios and dividend yields) which you can download below:

10 Healthcare Dividend Growth Stocks Poised For Exceptional Dividend Increases

The U.S. healthcare sector is attractive for long-term investors, because the industry is set to benefit from a major growth tailwind—the aging population.

The U.S. is an aging country with a very large 65+ population. This means demand for healthcare is only set to grow going forward, likely at a rate above GDP growth.

Investors can capitalize on this trend by considering healthcare dividend growth stocks.

The following 10 healthcare dividend stocks have become more attractive due to their recent price declines, and should continue to raise their dividends over the next several years.

The table of contents below allows for easy navigation. The stocks are listed by 5-year expected returns, in ascending order. The list excludes international stocks.

Healthcare Dividend Growth Stock #10: Lemaitre Vascular (LMAT)

Annual Expected Returns: 14.7%

LeMaitre Vascular develops medical devices and implants to treat peripheral vascular disease. Their offerings include restore flow allografts, angioscopes, embolectomy and thrombectomy catheters, occlusion and perfusion catheters, artery graft biologic grafts, carotid shunts, radiopaque tape, valvulotomes, vascular grafts, cardiac patches, and closure systems.

On February 25th, 2026, LeMaitre announced results for the fourth quarter of 2025, reporting Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.68 that beat analysts’ estimates by $0.02.

LeMaitre reported Q4 sales of $64.5 million, up 16% year-over-year, with organic growth at 15%. Performance was driven by key product lines, particularly grafts, valvulotomes, and carotid shunts, while geographically, EMEA and APAC stood out with growth of 29% and 20%, respectively.

Gross margin improved to 71.7%, benefiting from higher average selling prices and manufacturing efficiencies. Operating income rose sharply by 47% to $18.8 million, as operating expenses increased at a more measured pace, highlighting strong cost discipline.

Full-year guidance calls for approximately $280 million in sales, representing 12% growth, alongside operating income projected at $77.8 million at the midpoint, implying healthy expansion and sustained margin strength.

Gross margin is expected to hold at 72.1%, while operating margin is forecast to remain near 28%. The company also announced a 25% increase in its quarterly dividend and authorized a $100 million share repurchase program.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on LMAT (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Healthcare Dividend Growth Stock #9: UnitedHealth Group (UNH)

Annual Expected Returns: 15.3%

UnitedHealth offers global healthcare services to tens of millions of people via a wide array of products. The company has two major reporting segments: UnitedHealth and Optum.

It provides global healthcare benefits to individuals, employers, and Medicare/Medicaid beneficiaries. The Optum segment is a services business that seeks to lower healthcare costs and optimize outcomes for its customers.

UnitedHealth posted fourth quarter and full-year earnings on January 27th, 2026. Adjusted earnings-per-share came to $2.11, which met expectations. Revenue was up more than 12% year-over-year to $113.22 billion, but that missed expectations by $520 million.

The UnitedHealthcare insurance segment saw $87.1 billion to the top line, which was about $400 million ahead of estimates.

The segment’s medical care ratio was 92.4%, much worse than the 89.1% from a year ago. UnitedHealthcare supported 49.8 million customers during the quarter.

The Optum division saw $70.3 billion in revenue, which was driven by pharmacy-benefits division. Optum supported 123 million customers during the quarter. The company’s operating cost ratio was 12.9% on an adjusted basis, flat year-over-year.

The company guided for at least $17.75 in adjusted earnings-per-share for 2026, but guided for revenue that was about $17 billion light of consensus.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on UNH (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Healthcare Dividend Growth Stock #8: Cigna Group (CI)

Annual Expected Returns: 15.5%

Cigna is a leading provider of insurance products and services. The company’s products include dental, medical, disability and life insurance that it provides through employer-sponsored, government-sponsored, and individual coverage plans.

Cigna operates four business segments, including Evernorth, which provides pharmacy services and benefit management, U.S. Medical, which provides commercial and government health insurance, International Markets and Group Disability.

Evernorth contributes ~87% of annual revenues while Cigna Healthcare accounts for much of the rest. Cigna has annual revenues of ~$275 billion.

On February 5th, 2026, Cigna increased its quarterly dividend by 3.3% to $1.56. That same day, Cigna reported fourth quarter and full year results for the period ending December 31st, 2025.

For the quarter, revenue grew 10.4% to $72.5 billion, which was $3.41 billion better than expected. Adjusted earnings-per-share of $8.08 compared favorably to adjusted earnings-per-share of $6.64 in the prior year and was $0.20 ahead of estimates.

For the year, revenue increased 11.2% to $274.9 billion while adjusted earnings-per-share of $29.84 was up from $27.33 in 2024.

Total customer relationships increased 3% to 188.4 million from the same period a year ago. Total pharmacy customers grew 4% to 123.6 million while total medical customers decreased 5% to 18.1 million.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on CI (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Healthcare Dividend Growth Stock #7: Pfizer Inc. (PFE)

Annual Expected Returns: 15.8%

Pfizer Inc. is a global pharmaceutical company focusing on prescription drugs and vaccines. Pfizer’s top products are Eliquis, Prevnar family, Paxlovid, Comirnaty, Vyndaqel family, Ibrance, Xtandi, and Pacdev.

Pfizer had revenue of $62.6B in 2025.

Pfizer reported Q4 2025 results on February 3rd, 2026. Company-wide revenue fell 1% and adjusted diluted earnings per share gained 5% to $0.66 versus $0.63 on a year-over-year basis.

Pfizer is focused on reorganizing its R&D structure to increase productivity and simplify processes.

At the same time, the firm is pursuing cost savings by realigning programs and optimizing its manufacturing processes. The goal is $7.2B in total net savings over 2024-2027. These activities should improve margins and profitability.

After acquiring Metsara, Pfizer announced the VESPER-3 Phase 2 data for a monthly dosing GLP-1 approach. The firm is attempting to enter the obesity market with this product and initiated VESPER-4 Phase 3 trials.

Pfizer set revenue guidance at $59.5B – $62.5B and adjusted diluted EPS guidance at $2.80 – $3.00 in 2026.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on PFE (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Healthcare Dividend Growth Stock #6: Mckesson Corporation (MCK)

Annual Expected Returns: 15.8%

McKesson has grown into a powerhouse in the pharmaceutical and medical distribution industry and today, generates more than $400 billion in annual revenue.

McKesson posted third quarter earnings on February 4th, 2026, and results were better than expected on both the top and bottom lines. The company saw $9.34 in adjusted earnings-per-share, which beat estimates by seven cents.

Revenue was up 11.4% year-over-year to $106.2 billion, which was $290 million better than expected. The company slightly narrowed its guidance range for the year with one quarter remaining.

Adjusted earnings-per-share is now expected to be around $39, and we’ve updated our estimate accordingly.

Q3 results were aided by growth in North American Pharma, which was due to increased prescription volumes from retail national accounts, and distribution growth of oncology and multispecialty products.

Gross profit was $3.7 billion, up 10% year-over-year. Operating expenses were up 7% to $2.1 billion, while operating profit was $1.7 billion. That was up 13% year-over-year.

Free cash flow was $1.1 billion for the quarter, and the trailing four quarters have seen $9.6 billion in FCF.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on MCK (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Healthcare Dividend Growth Stock #5: Abbott Laboratories (ABT)

Annual Expected Returns: 16.4%

Abbott Laboratories, founded in 1888, is one of the largest medical appliances & equipment manufacturers in the world, comprised of four segments: Nutrition, Diagnostics, Established Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices.

Abbott Laboratories provides products in over 160 countries and employs 114,000 people. The company generated $44 billion in sales in 2025.

On December 12th, 2025, Abbott Laboratories raised its quarterly dividend 6.8% to $0.63, extending the company’s dividend growth streak to 54 years.

On January 22nd, 2026, Abbott Laboratories released fourth quarter and full year results for the period ending December 31st, 2025. For the quarter, revenue grew 4.5% to $11.46 billion, but this missed estimates by $340 million.

Adjusted earnings-per-share of $1.50 compared to $1.34 in the prior year and was $0.01 better than expected. For the year, revenue grew 5.7% to $44.3 billion while adjusted earnings-per-share of $5.15 compared to $4.67 in 2024.

For Q4, U.S. sales grew 0.9% while international was higher by 6.7%. Currency exchange was a 1.4% headwind for the period.

Abbott Laboratories provided guidance for 2026 as well, with the company expecting adjusted earnings-per-share in a range of $5.55 to $5.80 for the year. At the midpoint, this would represent growth of 10.3% from 2025.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on ABT (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Healthcare Dividend Growth Stock #4: Becton Dickinson & Co. (BDX)

Annual Expected Returns: 17.3%

Becton, Dickinson & Co. is a global leader in the medical supply industry. The company was founded in 1897 and has 75,000 employees across 190 countries.

The company generates about $20 billion in annual revenue, with approximately 43% of revenues coming from outside of the U.S.

On November 6th, 2025, BD increased its quarterly dividend 1.0% to $1.05, extending the company’s dividend growth streak to 54 consecutive years.

BD also announced results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, which ended December 31st, 2026. For the quarter, revenue improved 1.5% to $5.25 billion, which topped estimates by $100 million.

Adjusted earnings-per-share of $2.91 compared unfavorably to $3.43 in the prior year, but this was $0.10 more than expected.

For the quarter, Medical Essentials was down 0.6% on a currency neutral basis to $1.6 billion as gains in U.S. Vascular Access Management and the BD Vacutainer portfolio were more than offset by order timing in China.

Connected Care grew 4.7% to $1.13 billion due to growth in Pharmacy Automation and strength in Advanced Patient Monitoring.

BioPharma was up 1% to $429 million due to double-digit growth in Biologics. Interventional climbed 5.1% to $1.33 billion, mostly due to higher demand for the PureWick franchise and Advanced Tissue Regeneration.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on BDX (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Healthcare Dividend Growth Stock #3: Stryker Corp. (SYK)

Annual Expected Returns: 17.7%

Stryker is a global leader in the medical device sector. The company’s product lines include surgical equipment, neurovascular products and orthopedic implants.

On December 11th, 2025, Stryker reported that it was raising its quarterly dividend 4.8% to $0.88 per share, extending the company’s dividend growth streak to 32 consecutive years.

On January 29th, 2026, Stryker announced fourth quarter and full year results. For the quarter, revenue grew 11.8% to $7.2 billion, which beat estimates by $80 million.

Adjusted earnings-per-share of $4.47 compared favorably to $4.01 in the prior year and was $0.07 better than expected. For the year, revenue increased 11.2% to $25.1 billion while adjusted earnings-per-share of $13.63 compared to $12.19 in 2024.

Organic revenue growth remains strong, with the company posting growth of 11% for the quarter and 10.3% for the year.

For the quarter, volume was up 10.9% and higher prices added 0.1% to results. MedSurg and Neurotechnology had sales of $4.6 billion, which represented 12.6% organic growth. Orthopaedics grew 8.4% to $2.6 billion.

Volume grew 12.5% for MedSurg and Neurotechnology and was up 8.5% for Orthopaedics. Prices were higher by 0.1% for MedSurg and Neurotechnology and while Orthopaedics fell 0.1%.

Stryker provided guidance for 2026 as well. The company expects organic revenue growth in a range of 8.0% to 9.5%.

Adjusted earnings-per-share are forecasted to be in a range of $14.90 to $15.10. At the midpoint, this would represent growth of 10.1% from 2025.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on SYK (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Healthcare Dividend Growth Stock #2: Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY)

Annual Expected Returns: 22.4%

Eli Lilly develops, manufactures, and sells pharmaceuticals around the world, and has about 47,000 employees globally. Eli Lilly has annual revenue of $59 billion.

On December 8th, 2025, Eli Lilly increased its quarterly dividend 15.3% to $1.73, extending the company’s dividend growth streak to 12 years.

On February 4th, 2026, Eli Lilly released fourth quarter and full year results for the period ending December 31st, 2025.

For the quarter, revenue improved 42.6%% to $19.3 billion, which was $1.35 billion above estimates. Adjusted earnings-per-share of $7.54 compared very favorably to adjusted earnings-per-share of $5.32 in the prior year and was $0.61 better than expected.

For the year, revenue was up 45% to $65.2 billion while adjusted earnings-per-share of $24.21 compared to $12.99 in 2024.

Volumes were up 46% for the quarter, but this was partially offset by a 5% decline in realized prices. U.S. revenue grew 43% to $12.9 billion, as volume was up 50% and pricing was lower by 7%.

International revenues improved 43% to $6.4 billion as volumes grew 38% while favorable currency exchange added 4% to results..

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on LLY (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):

Healthcare Dividend Growth Stock #1: Zoetis Inc. (ZTS)

Annual Expected Returns: 23.9%

Zoetis focuses on animal health, including discovering, developing, manufacturing, and commercializing medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic products.

Biodevices, genetic tests, and precision livestock farming complement the company’s offerings. The Vaccine segment is the largest revenue generating segment, with 22% of the total revenue, while the United States generates 54% of the revenue.

Zoetis reported its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results on February 12th, 2026, delivering solid full-year performance.

For the fourth quarter, revenue grew 3% year-over-year to $2.39 billion, with 4% organic operational growth. Adjusted net income increased 3% to $648 million, while adjusted diluted EPS rose 6% to $1.48.

Reported diluted EPS was $1.37, up 6% from the prior year. For the full year, revenue increased 2% to $9.47 billion, representing 6% organic operational growth.

Adjusted net income rose 6% to $2.85 billion, and adjusted diluted EPS climbed 8% to $6.41, up from $5.92 in 2024.

Reported diluted EPS was $6.02, a 10% increase year-over-year. Performance was supported by continued strength in the companion animal portfolio.

Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on ZTS (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):