Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights: American Express and Pearson

For Immediate ReleaseChicago, IL – March 17, 2025 – Today, Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights American Express AXP and Pearson PSO.Dividend Watch: 2 Top-Ranked Companies Boosting PayoutsEverybody loves dividends, as they provide a passive income stream, limit drawdowns in other positions, and provide more than one way to profit from an investment.And when considering dividend-paying stocks, those with a history of boosting their payout are prime considerations, reflecting their commitment to increasingly rewarding shareholders.In addition, consistent dividend hikes reflect the company’s successful nature, opting to share profits with shareholders.For those seeking companies that have recently boosted payouts, two favorably ranked companies, American Express and Pearson, fit the criteria. Let’s take a closer look at each.AXP Keeps Paying InvestorsAXP has long been recognized as a strong income-focused play thanks to consistent payouts over the years, with the company sporting a shareholder-friendly 12.5% five-year annualized dividend growth rate.In addition, analysts have become bullish on the company’s current year EPS outlook, with the $15.31 per share estimate up 4% over the last year and suggesting 15% year-over-year growth. The stock sports a favorable Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).AXP recently upped its quarterly payout by 17%, bringing the quarterly total to $0.82 per share. Shares currently yield 1.1% annually compared to a 1.3% annual yield from the S&P 500.PSO Shares Show Relative StrengthPearson shares have shown a nice level of relative strength in 2025, gaining 2% compared to a 5% decline from the S&P 500. The company unveiled a massive 120% boost to its quarterly payout in late February, with the quarterly payout now totaling $0.21 per share.Like AXP, Pearson has enjoyed positive earnings estimate revisions for its current fiscal year, helping land the stock into a favorable Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The current $0.88 Zacks Consensus EPS estimate suggests 13% growth YoY.Bottom LineDividends bring about many great perks to investors, such as passive income and the ability to achieve maximum returns through dividend reinvestment.Companies boost payouts when business is fruitful, overall sending a positive message concerning the longer-term picture. In addition, consistently higher payouts owe to a company’s cash-generating abilities, undoubtedly a huge positive.And for those seeking companies looking to pay their shareholders a higher paycheck, both companies above fit the criteria.Why Haven't You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks?Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year.Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.See Stocks Free >>Media ContactZacks Investment Research800-767-3771 ext. 9339support@zacks.comhttps://www.zacks.comPast performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double"Our team of experts has just released the 5 stocks with the greatest probability of gaining +100% or more in the coming months. Of those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights the one stock set to climb highest.This top pick is among the most innovative financial firms. With a fast-growing customer base (already 50+ million) and a diverse set of cutting edge solutions, this stock is poised for big gains. Of course, all our elite picks aren’t winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks’ Stocks Set to Double like Nano-X Imaging which shot up +129.6% in little more than 9 months.Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners UpWant the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report American Express Company (AXP): Free Stock Analysis Report Pearson, PLC (PSO): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks