 Dear Reader, In 2000, I told Barron's magazine that a very popular, well-loved dot-com stock was headed for a world of hurt. That prediction proved spot on. Soon after, the stock dropped 90%. I fielded a lot of attention for that contrarian call. And I expect this time around will be no different... Because today, I'm pounding the table with the opposite message. "BUY THIS STOCK NOW!" The very same company that I warned about over two decades ago is now the lifeblood of AI data centers. Yet almost no one has caught up with the story this time around. While the media gloms onto the "AI Chip Wars" story... they've completely missed this company's essential role in building out data centers. Their hardware is so essential that the data center industry uses enough of it to stretch around the world 8 times – in a single building! So, if you own Nvidia stock now, you might be well-served to sell those shares and check out this under-the-radar play instead. Or if you missed the boat on Nvidia, this is a rare second chance to target tremendous profit potential as AI data centers spring up in every corner of the world. Get my full take on this exciting play right here... Sincerely, Eric Fry
Senior Macro-Investment Analyst, InvestorPlace
Just For You 3 Overlooked Dividend Stocks for Choppy Markets in 2026Author: Nathan Reiff. Publication Date: 2/18/2026. 
Key Points- Three lesser-known dividend players—Hancock Whitney, NewMarket, and Horace Mann Educators—all have dividend yields of at least 2%.
- These smaller companies could provide growth opportunities that larger dividend names may not, in addition to offering the benefit of passive income.
- Each has recently seen notable earnings performance, including a combination of top- and/or bottom-line growth, shareholder value boosts thanks to share buybacks, and more.
- Special Report: This makes me furious (From The Oxford Club)
Choppiness in the S&P 500 has produced alternating gains and losses, lacking the clear upward trajectory seen in late 2025. If investors fear a market correction—for example, the popping of an AI bubble—they may look to safer, defensive plays such as dividend stocks. Dividend plays vary widely. Many investors immediately think of stalwarts favored by long-term investors like Warren Buffett: global brands and highly stable companies. But there is also a lesser-known group of dividend payers off the beaten path that may offer more room for growth. Three relatively obscure names that still pay healthy dividends are Hancock Whitney Corp. (NASDAQ: HWC), NewMarket Corp. (NYSE: NEU), and Horace Mann Educators Corp. (NYSE: HMN). A Southern Bank With Strong Capital and Bond MomentumHancock Whitney is a bank holding company best known in the Gulf South region. It provides commercial and retail banking as well as wealth management services through Hancock Whitney Bank branches. The company pays an attractive dividend yield of 2.53% and has a sustainable payout ratio of 31.7%. The company's latest earnings report for Q4 2025 was mixed: it beat analyst expectations for earnings per share (EPS) by one cent but missed revenue estimates by a meaningful margin. Several factors make Hancock Whitney compelling in early 2026. The company recently completed a bond-portfolio restructuring that should add roughly 7 basis points to net interest margin (NIM) and about $0.23 to EPS annually. Loan growth is improving, and a favorable capital position enabled share buybacks equal to roughly 3% of outstanding shares in the fourth quarter alone. That capital cushion supports continued dividend payments, making Hancock Whitney a relatively stable dividend option for investors seeking to manage downside risk. Even With Market Softness, NewMarket Remains an Attractive Dividend PlayNewMarket is a chemicals company specializing in lubricants and petroleum additives. Its shares are down about 14% year-to-date (YTD) following the company's latest earnings report. One key driver was a decline in net income and EPS in 2025 due to a higher effective tax rate. Fourth-quarter petroleum-additives shipments were also down roughly 6% year-over-year (YOY) amid softer market conditions. However, NewMarket's specialty materials business has performed well, aided by its October acquisition of aerospace propellant firm Calca. The company plans to make specialty materials a major focus in 2026 and has committed $1 billion to grow that segment. Despite a Hold rating from Wall Street, NewMarket remains a solid dividend play. It continues to generate cash, returning $183 million to shareholders last quarter via share buybacks and dividends. NewMarket currently offers a dividend yield of 2.01%, a payout ratio just above 27%, and a multi-year history of dividend increases. Wins Across Multiple Categories Strengthen Horace Mann's Dividend ProfileHorace Mann Educators is a retirement-services and property & casualty insurer that tailors products to school employees across the United States. The company has delivered several strong quarters, including its most recent report, which included a 3-cent EPS beat and helped produce record full-year EPS of $4.71. Analyst 2026 EPS forecasts are generally in line with the company's 10% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) target. Much of Horace Mann's momentum comes from its property & casualty business, which showed meaningful improvements in its combined ratio and saw core earnings more than double last year. Growth in both individual supplemental products and group sales is helping the company diversify further. An early retirement program that has generated annualized savings of $10 million should help Horace Mann reach its goal of reducing the expense ratio by 100 to 150 basis points over the next three years. That would free up cash for additional share buybacks on top of the $21 million repurchased in 2025. Those gains support the company's dividend, which currently yields 3.25% with a payout ratio of 35.9%.
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