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When AI Meets Power: An Industrial Icon Finds a New Growth Engine

Author

Noah Zelvis
October 29, 2025

The AI revolution isn’t just lifting chipmakers; it's now powering up the industrial world, too.

One century-old heavyweight just hit record highs as its generators become the quiet heroes of the data age. Does it have a spot in your portfolio?

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Telecom

Can AT&T Keep Its Customers From Ghosting?

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is dealing with more than dropped calls—it’s losing patience from customers who feel nickel-and-dimed.

The company’s pricing tweaks, like shrinking autopay discounts, have sparked real frustration that rivals are exploiting fast.

T-Mobile and Verizon are pouncing with flashy promos, while cable companies are quietly bundling mobile plans that look too good to ignore.

You can see why customers are packing their digital bags and testing new networks.

A Tough Crowd to Please

AT&T’s challenge isn’t just keeping customers, it’s keeping their trust. When price bumps hit loyal users, even a strong signal can’t fix bad vibes.

The company now has to walk a tightrope between holding margins and offering deals that actually feel like deals.

You’d probably expect them to sweeten the pot soon if they want those customers to stick around.

The Next Call Matters Most

This isn’t just another churn cycle, as it’s a test of whether AT&T can reinvent what value means in the mobile world.

Coverage alone won’t cut it anymore, not when every rival is personalizing offers down to the last gigabyte.

So if someone asks whether AT&T still has a shot, tell them the line’s still open, but the next move better be worth answering.

T currently trades at $25 and pays a dividend of $1.11 per share, a yield of 4.37%.

Defense

Why Germany Just Handed General Dynamics Its Biggest Win in Years

General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE: GD) just locked in a $3.5 billion deal with Germany to deliver next-gen reconnaissance vehicles.

It’s one of the biggest upgrades the German Army has made in decades, and it puts General Dynamics right in the middle of Europe’s new defense wave.

These aren’t your old-school machines either.

The new vehicles come loaded with connected sensors and real-time tracking, giving armies smarter eyes and faster reflexes in the field.

The Digital Soldier Era

This deal shows how defense tech is shifting from pure muscle to pure intelligence.

General Dynamics is blending armored strength with software brains, and that mix is becoming its secret weapon.

You can almost picture future troops rolling in Wi-Fi on wheels, ready to outthink their enemies before firing a shot.

For a defense company, that’s the kind of evolution that keeps contracts flowing.

A Global Game of Momentum

General Dynamics now has deeper roots in Europe, right as the continent boosts its defense budgets. It’s a perfect setup for steady business when global tensions are heating up.

So if you’re watching which companies will define modern warfare tech, keep your eyes on GD. It’s building machines that talk, think, and roll straight into the next decade.

GD currently trades at $343 and pays a dividend of $6.00 per share, a yield of 1.75%.

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Footwear

The Sneaker That Gives You a Second Set of Calf Muscles

Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) just unveiled Project Amplify, a powered running shoe that helps your legs go farther with less strain.

It’s basically wearable tech for your calves, built to make walking and running feel smoother than ever.

The prototype houses a small motor, a drive belt, and a battery in a carbon fiber frame. You can wear it powered or not, but once you feel that boost, you might never want to turn it off.

The Future of Movement

This project marks Nike’s comeback to serious innovation after a few quiet years.

Rivals like On and Hoka have been chasing performance upgrades, but Nike just pulled ahead by blending biomechanics with real mechanics.

You can already picture weekend joggers showing off their “smart shoes” like they’re the new iPhone. That mix of style and tech might spark a whole new fitness trend.

Running Into a New Era

Project Amplify is the start of assisted performance gear. It opens doors for everyone, from tired commuters to aging athletes who still love the track.

So if you’re wondering where Nike’s next big leap comes from, you can bet it starts right under your feet. These kicks don’t just move with you; they help you keep moving.

NKE currently trades at $66 and pays a dividend of $1.60 per share, a yield of 2.41%.

Dividend Stocks Worth Watching

Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) has launched a new domestic intermodal rail service in partnership with Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC).

The railroad, which originates in Louisville, will connect companies in the western part of the country with key cities, including Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, and Seattle, via UNP's hub in Kansas City. 

The new transport network is a fast, cost-efficient alternative to highway transportation. UNP says it will give American manufacturers access to new markets.

UNP currently pays a $1.38 dividend, yielding 2.53%. 

Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) may not be the first company that comes to mind when you think about the major beneficiaries of the AI revolution, but that’s exactly what’s happening. 

The heavy plant manufacturer has just released its Q3 earnings report, with one particular area proving surprising.

Management revealed that demand for products like power generators and turbines has far outperformed its usual machinery sales with a 31% surge.

That boost is directly attributed to the growing global need for AI infrastructure – and sent stock soaring to a record high earlier today.

CAT pays a $1.51 dividend with a 1.02% yield.

Verizon (NYSE: VZ) is another telecoms company to benefit from the buzz around Apple’s latest iPhone launch.

The wireless service provider reported better-than-expected new customer acquisition volume, driven by iPhone promos, adding 44,000 monthly bill-paying wireless subscribers in the third quarter.

This figure far exceeded the 19,000 new contracts analysts had expected to hear about. 

VZ isn’t alone in basking in Apple’s success, with AT&T (NYSE: T) reporting a similar uplift in its own results earlier this month. 

VZ pays a 69-cent dividend with a 6.86% yield.

Dividend Increases

V has increased its dividend to 67 cents, up 13.56%. Its new yield is 0.77%.

RNST has increased its dividend to 23 cents, a 4.55% boost. Its new yield is 2.63%.

ASB has lifted its dividend to 24 cents, an increase of 4.35%. Its new yield is 3.83%.

ROL has increased its dividend to 18 cents, a rise of 10.61%. Its new yield is 1.3%.

Dividend Decreases

HTGC has cut its dividend to 40 cents, a 14.89% reduction. Its new yield is 8.86%.

CQP has trimmed its dividend to 77 cents, a drop of 5.49%. Its new yield is 5.78%. 

SCCO has reduced its dividend to 90 cents, a cut of 10.89%. Its new yield is 2.81%.

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Upcoming Dividend Payers

JPM’s ex-dividend date for the forthcoming $1.50 payment is 10/31/25.

SYK’s ex-dividend date for the forthcoming 84-cent payment is 10/31/25.

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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