3 Transportation Dividend Growth Stocks to Keep an Eye On

The widely diversified Zacks Transportation sector is facing multiple headwinds, ranging from escalated expenses, inflation-induced elevated interest rates, a downturn in freight demand and supply-chain woes. Geopolitical uncertainties and tariff-related issues continue to hurt consumer sentiment and growth expectations.

The recent U.S. strikes on Iran and the threat of a Strait of Hormuz closure have driven up oil prices, raising concerns of a broader supply shock that could significantly impact the U.S. economy. Higher crude costs are pushing up gasoline and diesel prices, fueling inflation and squeezing consumer spending. This adds pressure on the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates elevated, potentially slowing economic growth.

As a result, transportation players may face rising costs, as fuel expenses represent one of the major input costs for these companies. The increase in labor costs is also limiting bottom-line growth.

Due to the aforementioned headwinds, the sector has declined 10.1% year over year against the S&P 500’s 9.3% growth.

But do the above-mentioned challenges and rising costs mean investors should steer clear of transportation sector stocks? The answer is a clear no.

Smart Investing: The Power of Dividend Stocks

We believe dividend-growth transportation stocks deserve a place on investors’ watchlists as they offer resilience amid market headwinds and volatility. Companies with a consistent track record of increasing dividends year over year tend to contribute to stronger, more balanced portfolios, offering not just reliable income but greater potential for long-term capital appreciation compared to high-yield or flat-dividend stocks.

Investing in dividend stocks is a prudent strategy that offers a dual advantage: steady income and a cushion against market volatility. It's no wonder investors actively seek companies with a consistent and growing dividend history. These stocks provide a reliable income stream, acting as a buffer during market downturns and contributing to overall portfolio stability.

To guide investors interested in the transportation sector, we came up with certain parameters using the Zacks Stocks Screener. We shortlisted transportation stocks based on the following:

a) A dividend payout ratio of less than 60% (the dividend payout ratio — dividends paid/net income — gives the proportion of earnings paid out as dividends to shareholders. A payout ratio below 60 looks quite sustainable).

b) A dividend yield of greater than 1% (dividend yield denotes the percentage of a company’s share price that it shells out as dividends annually).

The selected stocks have exhibited dividend growth in the past five years, apart from currently carrying a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) or better. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. EXPD announced a hike in its dividend payout in May. Expeditors’ board of directors has approved a dividend hike of 5.5%, raising its quarterly semi-annual cash dividend from 73 cents per share to 77 cents. The company’s payout ratio is 24%, with a five-year dividend growth rate of 8.6%.

FedEx Corporation’s FDX board of directors approved a dividend hike of 5.1%, raising its quarterly cash dividend to $1.45 per share ($5.80 annualized) from $1.38 ($5.52 annualized). The raised dividend will be paid out on July 8, 2025 to stockholders of record at the close of business on June 23, 2025.

The company’s payout ratio is 31%, with a five-year dividend growth rate of 22%.

Delta Air Lines, Inc.’s DAL board of directors approved a dividend hike of 25%, raising its quarterly cash dividend to 18.75 cents per share (75 cents annualized) from 15 cents (60 cents annualized). The raised dividend will be paid on Aug. 21, 2025 to stockholders of record at the close of business on July 31, 2025.

The company’s payout ratio is currently 10%.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research