Dividend income is often overlooked amid gyrations in the stock market. Consider that in 2024, market bulls were boasting about 24%-plus S&P 500 returns. No one was very focused on the broad market index's 1.2% dividend yield. But dividends are an important element of return, and 2025 for a while was bearing that out. Through May, the S&P 500 was up a thin 1.1%; without dividends, there was essentially no returns at all. Of note, dividend income accounted for 42% of the total return of the S&P 500 between 1930 and 2012, according to Hartford Funds. And that's just the average. In some of those decades, dividends accounted for more than 50% of total returns and even 100%. More recently, dividends have accounted for a smaller portion of returns, at around 15%-20%. But not all dividends are created equal, though, and it is important to understand the difference between the two main investment categories: high-yield stocks and dividend-growth stocks.

Parker Hannifin started out in 1917 as Parker Appliance, selling pneumatic brakes. Through the acquisition of branded components, the firm has expanded into aerospace engines, agricultural and construction machinery, freight and passenger vehicles, and industrial automation equipment. Within these larger systems, Parker sells a wide array of small, critical pieces such as hydraulic, electromechanical, climate control, and filtration components. Many of its products are designed to work together, resulting in a high rate of cross-selling.

AI is helping companies in the Industrial sector, and those same companies are helping AI. We hear a lot of talk about the technology supporting AI (such as data centers and high-speed chips). For its part, the Industrial sector is full of names supporting AI growth by supplying the energy, infrastructure, transport, and construction needed to build out new AI-focused facilities. Meanwhile, Industrial companies are harnessing AI technology to help with processes, inventory control, and supply-chain management, and many other functions. Indeed, Industrial companies are using smart robots to manage and work production lines at manufacturing facilities, while AI also is helping to make front and back offices operate more efficiently and cost effectively. We are running a five-part webinar series on AI, looking at how different industries are incorporating AI practices. We just hosted our fourth edition, spotlighting the Industrial sector. For our list this week, we are presenting the cheat sheet from the webinar – with the BUY-rated Industrial stocks we highlighted during the webinar.

Parker Hannifin manufactures motion and control technologies and systems that are used to control fluids, gas, or air in hydraulic, pneumatic and vacuum applications. It sells its products to aerospace, commercial, and industrial customers, who use them to move materials and operate machines and vehicles. The company employs approximately 58,000 people. PH shares are a component of the S&P 500.