The Bank Powering the Rise of Passive Investing

Author

Noah Zelvis
March 04, 2026

Passive investing continues to gather momentum.

And one major bank just tightened its grip on the infrastructure that makes it all work. Read on for more on this and all the other stories you need to know today.

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Clinical

One Result Just Gave Pfizer a Story Wall Street Has to Take Seriously

Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) and partner Astellas just announced that their drug combination cut the risk of cancer returning or death by nearly 50% in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

The Phase 3 trial showed that almost 80% of patients remained cancer-free at 2 years, compared with 66% with standard chemotherapy.

For a company facing questions about its pipeline, this is exactly the kind of result that changes the narrative.

The Whole Patient Population Is Now in Play

Combined with an earlier trial that already led to FDA approval for patients who cannot tolerate standard chemo, Pfizer now has data covering virtually every bladder cancer patient who needs this type of treatment.

The company is heading to regulators worldwide to expand the approved uses.

If your view of Pfizer was shaped by concerns about revenue cliffs and pipeline gaps, this result adds a major asset to the oncology portfolio at exactly the right moment.

Scale That Matters

Bladder cancer affects more than 600,000 people globally each year.

When a therapy works across the full patient population and replaces a harsher standard of care, the market opportunity expands significantly.

You rarely see a single trial result answer this many questions about a company's direction. For Pfizer, this one did.

PFE currently trades at $26 and pays a dividend of $1.72 per share, a yield of 6.52%.

Consumer Goods

Kraft Heinz Chose Reinvention Over Separation

Kraft Heinz Co (NASDAQ: KHC) was preparing to split itself into two. That plan is now off the table.

Instead, the company is pouring hundreds of millions into marketing, innovation, and product development to fix its struggling North American business from the inside.

The Breakup Made Sense Until It Did Not

Separating into two companies would have simplified the story and unlocked value on paper.

But it also would have meant admitting that the core business could not be fixed. Kraft Heinz just rejected that conclusion.

You think about what it takes to reverse course on a major structural decision and bet on a turnaround instead.

That is not a small pivot. That is a statement about what leadership believes the business can still become.

North America Is the Only Fight That Matters

Kraft Heinz has struggled in its home market for years. Consumers shifted, competition intensified, and the brand portfolio lost momentum.

The new investment is aimed directly at that problem, funding the kind of marketing and innovation the company has underinvested in for too long.

If you read on, you'll see that Kraft Heinz was built around a breakup thesis; that story just ended. The new story is whether the company can make its legacy brands matter again.

KHC currently trades at $24 and pays a dividend of $1.60 per share, a yield of 6.68%.

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Enterprise

This Deal Puts IBM at the Center of How Big Companies Actually Run

IBM Corp (NYSE: IBM) is acquiring Confluent, a company specializing in real-time data movement and processing.

For a company trying to prove it belongs at the center of the AI era, this deal is a direct answer to the question of what IBM actually wants to become.

AI Needs Data Moving Constantly

Every major company relies on data that must flow continuously. Financial transactions, supply chain updates, customer interactions.

The systems that keep that data moving in real time are foundational to how modern businesses operate.

You think about what IBM gets with Confluent, and the answer is a company already embedded in Fortune 500 operations.

That is not a startup acquisition. That is buying a seat at the table where the biggest decisions get made.

Competition Is Coming From Everywhere

At the same time IBM is making acquisitions, outside tools are getting better at handling work that IBM has traditionally owned.

Modernizing old systems, updating legacy code, and helping enterprises move faster. The landscape is shifting, and IBM knows it.

You rarely see a company this established move this aggressively to secure its position. IBM is not waiting to see how the AI era unfolds.

It is building the foundation it wants to stand on.

IBM currently trades at $247.00 and pays a dividend of $6.72 per share, a yield of 2.71%.

Dividend Stocks Worth Watching

American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) is planting a long-term flag in Lower Manhattan with plans to anchor its new global headquarters at 2 World Trade Center.

The move is more than a change of address.

It signals confidence in New York as a financial hub and reflects how the payments giant is thinking about innovation, sustainability, and attracting top-tier talent in an increasingly digital industry.

As customer expectations shift and financial services evolve, aligning its physical headquarters with its modern brand identity reinforces its commitment to staying at the center of global commerce.

Establishing a flagship presence in one of the world’s most visible business districts underscores American Express’ long-term operating ambitions and its intent to remain a premium, globally recognized financial franchise. 

AXP doles out a 95-cent dividend, yielding 1.22%.

Macy's, Inc. (NYSE: M) is leaning into what it has always done best: turning moments into memories.

As it prepares for milestone editions of its iconic Thanksgiving parade and Fourth of July fireworks, the retailer is launching a year-long campaign to connect proms, holidays, and life events under a single umbrella theme.

The strategy is clear.

Rather than compete purely on price, Macy's is repositioning itself as the destination where celebrations begin, blending in-store events, influencer partnerships, and community initiatives to drive foot traffic and emotional connection.

For investors, this is more than marketing flair. Amid store closures and restructuring, Macy's is doubling down on experiential retail at its remaining locations.

If it can successfully tie traffic-driving events to higher-margin occasion wear and seasonal spending, this celebration-focused strategy can stabilize performance and reignite relevance in a competitive department store landscape.

M pays a 19-cent dividend, yielding 3.88%. 

Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) just deepened its role at the heart of one of the largest ETF platforms in the world.

The bank has been appointed by BlackRock to handle key middle office functions for trillions of dollars in U.S.-listed iShares ETFs, expanding an already significant servicing relationship.

This places Citi even further inside the operational engine that powers the growth of passive investing.

ETF servicing is a scale-driven, recurring revenue business tied to long-term industry growth.

As assets in passive products continue to rise, Citi is strengthening its position as critical financial infrastructure behind that expansion.

C currently pays a 60-cent dividend, yielding 2.15%.

Dividend Increases

APX has raised its dividend to 95 cents, a growth of 16.00%. Its new yield is 1.24%.  

HMN has increased its dividend to 36 cents, a lift of 2.9%. Its new yield is 3.31%. 

DLL has boosted its dividend to 63 cents, an increase of 20.00%. Its new yield is 1.7%.

FRO has increased its dividend to $1.03, up 442.11%. Its new yield is 10.87%.

CCK has raised its dividend to 35 cents, a growth of 34.62%. Its new yield is 1.22%.

DRH has lifted its dividend to 9 cents, a 12.5% boost. Its new yield is 3.48%.

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Everything Else

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