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Total AUMAvg. PM Years ExperienceYears Since Inception
$33.3B 2717
As of March 31 2026

Strategy Average Annual Total Returns

(%)2
YTD1 Year3 Years5 Years7 Years10 Years
Gross of Fees 0.00 11.85 14.88 11.55 12.58 12.68
Net of Fees -0.15 11.19 14.21 10.88 11.89 11.98
S&P 500 Index -4.33 17.80 18.32 12.06 14.44 14.16
As of March 31 2026
  

Overview

The Dividend Strategy portfolio targets a high level of current income, growth of income and capital preservation in challenging markets by owning high-quality large cap companies that pay an attractive dividend and have the potential to significantly grow their dividends.

Strategy OverviewPrimarily large cap strategy focused on dividend income
BenchmarkS&P 500 Index
Total Strategy AUM $33.3B
Holdings Range 40-601
Objective High current income, income growth and long-term capital appreciation3

Investment Philosophy

Total return portfolio focused on large cap, high-quality companies that pay an attractive dividend, have the potential to significantly grow their dividends and provide consistent and competitive risk-adjusted returns.

Meet Our Managers

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Strategy Facts

Portfolio managers John Baldi and Michael Clarfeld bring a long tenure of experience managing dividend-focused strategies.

The Strategy focuses exclusively on dominant, well-run businesses that pay a dividend or have the potential to do so.

The team does not deviate from a disciplined investment process focused on income growth.

Literature & Perspectives

Dividend Strategy 1Q26 Update
Portfolio Manager Mike Clarfeld breaks down portfolio performance in the first quarter, highlighting how diversification drove relative outperformance, outlining key positioning moves and sharing his outlook for dividend stocks in a volatile market.
Diversification Rewarded Amid AI and Geopolitical Shocks
Dividend Strategy 1Q26: The Strategy held up in a volatile quarter, benefiting from a sizable underweight to IT during a sharp software selloff and an overweight to energy as geopolitical tensions drove oil prices higher.
Dividend Strategy 1Q26 Update
Portfolio Manager John Baldi breaks down the Strategy’s approach in a volatile first quarter of 2026, highlighting the Strategy’s long-standing exposure to energy and materials sectors, among other topics.
Navigating a War Torn Global Energy Market
Podcast: Analyst Adam Meyers analyzes global oil & gas supply constraints caused by the Iran conflict and the likely role of U.S. producers going forward.
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Vehicles

Investment Process

  • Maintain a strong focus on current income and income growth
  • Identify strong, well run businesses. Seek companies with predictable revenues and superior margins and return on investment
  • Avoid deep cyclicals, turnarounds and enterprises that cannot be reasonably analyzed

Dividend Strategy Performance

A dividend focus has led to competitive long-term returns.

Average Annual Total Returns (%)2

YTD1 Year3 Years5 Years7 Years10 Years
Gross of Fees 0.00 11.85 14.88 11.55 12.58 12.68
Net of Fees -0.15 11.19 14.21 10.88 11.89 11.98
S&P 500 Index -4.33 17.80 18.32 12.06 14.44 14.16
Created with Highcharts 9.3.3-0.15-0.1511.1911.1914.2114.2110.8810.8811.8911.8911.9811.980.000.0011.8511.8514.8814.8811.5511.5512.5812.5812.6812.68-4.33-4.3317.817.818.3218.3212.0612.0614.4414.4414.1614.16Net of FeesGross of FeesS&P 500 IndexYTD1 Year3 Years5 Years7 Years10 Years

Characteristics

The Strategy's stock selection process results in diversification across all sectors with overweights to those that have historically paid meaningful and growing dividends.

Sector Weights1,2

Representative PortfolioS&P 500 Index
Financials16.5712.60
Information Technology13.5832.91
Health Care12.059.47
Industrials11.879.02
Communication Services9.8110.29
Energy8.464.01
Consumer Staples8.425.25
Materials7.432.09
Real Estate4.301.95
Utilities3.882.54
Consumer Discretionary2.979.87
Cash0.660.00
Created with Highcharts 9.3.316.5716.5713.5813.5812.0512.0511.8711.879.819.818.468.468.428.427.437.434.304.303.883.882.972.970.660.6612.6012.6032.9132.919.479.479.029.0210.2910.294.014.015.255.252.092.091.951.952.542.549.879.870.000.00Representative PortfolioS&P 500 IndexFinancialsInformationTechnologyHealth CareIndustrialsCommunicationServicesEnergyConsumer StaplesMaterialsReal EstateUtilitiesConsumerDiscretionaryCash
Portfolio Characteristics1,2
Characteristics Representative Portfolio S&P 500 Index
P/E Ratio (trailing 12 mos.)22.526.1
P/E Ratio (forward 12 mos.)18.120.8
Price/Book6.67.2
EPS Growth Next 3-5 Years (%)9.413.9
Weighted Median Market Cap ($ bn)141.3331.6
Weighted Average Market Cap ($ bn)455.31169.5
ROE24.723.7
Dividend Yield2.21.2
Turnover (trailing 12 mos.)33.1-
Risk Statistics1
10 Year Risk Statistics Composite S&P 500 Index
Standard Deviation (%)13.74 15.02
Sharpe Ratio0.73 0.81
Tracking Error (%)5.27 --
R20.88 --
Alpha (%)-0.40 --
Beta0.86 --
Top 10 Holdings1
Characteristics % of Total Representative Portfolio
Williams Cos Inc/The4.66
Exxon Mobil Corp3.80
Microsoft Corp3.62
Texas Instruments Inc2.97
Alphabet Inc2.97
Nestle SA2.91
Air Products and Chemicals Inc2.88
Broadcom Inc2.87
Apollo Global Management Inc2.69
Comcast Corp2.33
Total31.69
Total Number of Holdings 54
  • Source: FactSet. Representative portfolio characteristics, holdings, sector weightings and market cap are based on a representative portfolio and are subject to change at any time. Holdings, sector weightings, market cap and portfolio characteristics of individual client portfolios may differ, sometimes significantly, from those shown. This information does not constitute, and should not be construed as, investment advice or recommendations with respect to the securities and sectors listed. Statistics shown are net of fees.
    2 Past performance is no guarantee of future results. See GIPS endnotes. Performance is preliminary and subject to change.
    There is no guarantee that the Strategy's objective will be met.
    P/E ratios are weighted harmonic average. Price/Book is weighted average.
    * Data (excluding AUM and Market Cap) in GBP. 

  • Performance source: Internal. Benchmark source: Standard & Poor's.

  • ClearBridge Investments, LLC claims compliance with the Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS®) and has prepared and presented this report in compliance with the GIPS standards. ClearBridge Investments, LLC ("ClearBridge") is a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. (“Franklin”). In July 2020 Legg Mason, Inc., its parent company, was purchased by Franklin. The investment advisory business now known as ClearBridge was registered in September 2005 to facilitate Legg Mason's acquisition of substantially all the equity asset management businesses known as Citigroup Asset Management. These former businesses serve as the foundation of ClearBridge and its claim of GIPS compliance for institutional accounts through predecessor firms, effective as of January 1997. In June 2008, ClearBridge combined this business with its retail business to form a single GIPS firm. As of April 1, 2013, January 1, 2016, May 1, 2020, and January 1, 2024 ClearBridge affiliates, Global Currents Investment Management, LLC, ClearBridge, LLC, ClearBridge Investments Limited (f/k/a RARE Infrastructure Limited), and Franklin Bissett Asset Management have become part of the ClearBridge GIPS firm.

  • The ClearBridge Dividend Strategy composite invests in large and mid cap U.S. equities across a wide variety of industries and sectors. The portfolio managers seek dividend income, growth of dividend income and long-term capital appreciation. Investments may also be made in targeted investments in preferred stock, convertible bonds and REITS. Results are calculated in U.S. dollars. The S&P 500 Index is a broad-based measurement of changes in stock market conditions based on the average performance of 500 widely held common stocks. To receive a complete list and description of ClearBridge composites and/or a presentation that adheres to the GIPS standards, please contact ClearBridge Institutional Marketing.

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