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Tariff-Proof Dividend Stocks Shine with Strong American Roots

April 30, 2025

Hello and welcome to Dividend Brief, the 2-times-weekly newsletter focused on dividend investing.

Today, we will look into McDonald’s, BlackRock, and Walmart, highlight a few dividend stocks worth watching, as well as share companies that are about to pay a dividend in the next few days.

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Franchising

McDonald's Franchisee Sets India Push, Eyes 600 Stores by 2030

McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) master franchisee for North and East India, Connaught Plaza Restaurants, plans to invest $150 million through 2028 to grow from 245 to about 600 restaurants by 2030. The expansion targets major cities with full-size locations and smaller towns, such as Gangtok and Siliguri, with compact stores.

Smaller towns have lower rents and growing incomes, which can boost profits without high building costs. This mix of locations is a smart way to tap India's rising demand while keeping expenses down.

As part of the "Experience of the Future" plan, current restaurants will receive upgrades, including self-order kiosks and faster kitchens. These changes often increase customer spending and speed up service, helping stores manage with fewer workers.

India is a key market for McDonald's, where people visit restaurants less often than in other countries, but delivery and highway travel are growing. The $150 million investment, a substantial sum in India, allows the franchisee to take on the risk while McDonald's earns steady fees.

For U.S. investors, this means reliable income from India's growth without incurring direct costs, which supports the value of McDonald's stock. This expansion strengthens McDonald's global earnings, which is a plus for shareholders.

Competitors like Domino's are also targeting these towns. By moving now, McDonald's secures prime locations and supplier deals. If the plan stays on track, the franchiser can lead India's fast-food market before demand peaks.

Finance & Technology

BlackRock Plans to Tokenize $150 Billion Treasury Fund

BlackRock (NYSE: BLK) has requested that the SEC approve a new blockchain-based share class, called DLT Shares, for its $150 billion Treasury Trust money market fund.

Managed by BNY Mellon, the fund holds short-term U.S. government securities. The digital shares will track existing investments on a blockchain, enabling faster and more accurate transactions.

This option targets large investors, requiring a minimum investment of $3 million to get started. It uses cash, not cryptocurrency, and focuses on enhancing the transfer and recording of shares. Our view is simple: this could make a major fund more efficient, saving time and money for investors.

BlackRock already operates a smaller tokenized fund, BUIDL, valued at $1.7 billion. Applying blockchain to a large money-market fund is a significant step, as it tests the technology in a stable, high-volume market.  This means BlackRock is leading the way in modernizing finance, which could boost its stock if the tech succeeds.

Other firms have attempted to tokenize similar assets, but BlackRock’s scale distinguishes it. This could prompt competitors to adopt blockchain to reduce costs and enhance data quality.

Investors won’t see immediate profit changes, but smoother operations could lift long-term value.

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Retail

Walmart Plans 650 “Stores of the Future” Makeovers Across 47 States

Walmart (NYSE: WMT) plans to upgrade over 650 U.S. stores this year through its “Stores of the Future” program, which will cover 47 states. The company will also build or convert 150 additional locations, focusing on modern layouts, better signage, and larger pickup areas.

Store changes touch every corner. Pharmacies will have wider aisles and private rooms, merchandise displays will be more prominent, and electric vehicle chargers will be available outside. Energy-saving equipment and LED lights will make stores more environmentally friendly. These updates make shopping easier and help Walmart handle more online orders efficiently.

The projects will create thousands of jobs, from construction to new store roles. With competitors like Target and Costco also sprucing up their stores, Walmart’s fast rollout and tech upgrades give it an edge. This could lead to stronger sales and increased stock value for investors as Walmart attracts more customers during the holiday rush.

As Walmart spends millions per store, local contractors and suppliers will benefit, a cost it can manage with its strong cash flow. Shoppers will see clearer signs, more products, and faster pickup services. 

Should Walmart successfully implement this strategy, its physical stores will remain essential even as the prevalence of online shopping continues to increase.

Dividend Stocks Worth Watching

While few companies are 100% immune from tariffs, these companies have a strong “Made in America” manufacturing ethic that shields them from volatility and protects their strong yields. 

Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR) trades at a deep discount, as the stock sells for just 0.27x sales and 6.3x earnings while offering a whopping 9.14% forward yield. Better yet, 80% of its total product line is manufactured in the U.S., giving it a competitive edge as more companies slowly pivot to onshored production efforts. 

Eaton (NYSE: ETN) is an all-weather stock for today’s economic uncertainty: with a 1.43% forward yield, the company operates 253 U.S.-based manufacturing sites for its range of electrification and industrial products. The product lines serve customers as diverse as data centers, commercial automotives, and aerospace companies, all of which are industries the ongoing tariffs are designed to bolster in the long run.     

PACCAR (NASDAQ: PCAR) is a heavy-duty automotive manufacturer that produces most of its engines in the United States under well-known brands like Peterbilt and Kenworth, which helps protect the longevity of its 1.46% forward yield. PACCAR is also at the leading edge of autonomous trucking initiatives, having formed a strategic partnership with FedEx (NYSE: FDX) to develop and test self-driven linehaul operations.

Dividend Increases

FHI increased its dividend payout to 34 cents per share, a 9.6% rise. Its new forward yield is 3.37%.

DKL expanded its dividend payout to $1.11 per share, a 0.5% increase. Its new forward yield is 11.08%. 

GOOG improved its dividend payout to 21 cents per share, an increase of 5.0%. Its new forward yield is 0.52%.

Dividend Decreases

AB lowered its dividend payout to 80 cents per share, a cut of 23.8%. Its new dividend yield is 8.31%.

COWS reduced its dividend payout to 3.2 cents per share, a cut of 45.1%. Its new dividend yield is 1.44%.

ERNZ decreased its dividend payout to 16 cents per share, a cut of 20.0%. Its new dividend yield is 8.62%.

Smart Moves (Sponsored)

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Tech Titans & Politics (Sponsored)

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Upcoming Dividend Payers

SCCO’s ex-dividend date for its upcoming $0.70 payout is on 5/2/25.

DHI’s ex-dividend date for its upcoming $0.40 payout is on 5/1/25.

COST’s ex-dividend date for its upcoming $1.30 payout is on 5/2/25.

Everything Else

  • Jack in the Box plans to shutter as many as 200 fast-food locations, putting the long-term prospects of its current 6.72% yield at risk.

  • Toyota just penned a deal with Alphabet’s Waymo to bring the latter’s self-driving tech to consumer markets. 

  • Though Warren Buffett famously eschews dividend distributions, some expect the question of future yield to be a hot topic at this weekend’s Berkshire Annual Meeting as succession planning takes center stage. 

  • Speaking of Buffett, one of his all-time favorite companies (and dividend aristocrat) is blowing past market benchmarks in 2025.

  • REITs are trading at a collective discount, making them a potentially hot commodity if rates come down. 

That’s all for today’s edition of the Dividend Brief.

Thanks for reading, and if you have any feedback or dividend stocks you want me to take a look at, just reply to this email!

—Noah Zelvis
DividendBrief.com