This Lesser-Known Dividend Stock Is Beating the S&P 500 in 2026 and Yields More

The S&P 500 ($SPX) has put up a decent but unexciting 8% gain so far in 2026, with most of the heavy lifting coming from a few big names. Dividend stocks are quietly doing more, and Watsco (WSO) is a good example of that shift. WSO stock is up 22% year-to-date (YTD) and still offers a forward dividend yield above 3%.

The macro backdrop makes that combo even more interesting. The Federal Reserve is holding the federal funds rate in the 3.5% to 3.75% range. Meanwhile, officials under new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh are signaling that more hikes are possible as inflation remains sticky.

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This environment tends to favor companies tied to essential replacement demand, and Watsco fits that description well. The natural next question is: What exactly allows this under‑the‑radar name to pull that off? Let's dive in.

Watsco is a Miami, Florida‑based dis

Fuente original: Yahoo Finance (https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/lesser-known-dividend-stock-beating-233002748.html)