Real estate, finance and consumer staples bringing best returns across UK Dividend Aristocrats

May 27, 2020

Real estate may be in uncertain waters, but there are no less than two UK real estate companies leading the charge where UK Dividend Aristocrats and the highest dividends yields are concerned.

Peer to peer lending platform, Sourced Capital, analysed the top 40 UK companies that have consistently provided an increase or stable dividends for at least seven consecutive years and are therefore classed as Dividends Aristocrats by the S&P.

Sourced Capital then looked at the dividends yield for shareholders of these companies over the course of the year based on share price and declared dividends, to see which is proving the best currently based on the cost of investing and their return.

The figures show that the strongest performing sector is the financial sector, accounting for 24% of the top 40 UK Dividend Aristocrats. Consumer discretionary also ranked high with 21% of companies operating within this sector, with the industrial sector (12%), consumer staples (12%) and communication services (9%) also performing well at present.

At 5%, the real estate sector accounted for one of the lowest percentages of UK based Dividend Aristocrats but when it comes to the companies themselves, it’s a different story.

Hammerson plc tops the table of all 40 UK Dividend Aristocrats with an impressive dividend yield of 20.7% over the last 12 months.

Investec plc flies the flag for the financial sector in second place with a yield of 15.4% in the last year, followed by Imperial Brands plc (consumer staples) at 12.7% and Marks and Spencers (consumer discretionary) at 11.3%.

Other companies to make the list within the financial sector include Legal and General Group plc (8.6%), Jupiter Fund Management plc (7.6%) and 3i Group (4.9%).

SSE plc (7.5%) is the only company within the top 10 operating within the utilities sector, while British American Tobacco plc is the second from the consumer staples sector, and British Land Company plc (6.1%) completes the list as the second real estate company in the list.

Sector allocation of top 40 UK Dividend Aristocrats
Sector
% of aristocrat group
Financial
24%
Consumer Discretionary
21%
Industrial
12%
Consumer Staples
12%
Communication services
9%
Utilities
7%
Health care
6%
Materials
5%
Real estate
5%
Top 10 – UK Dividend Aristocrats ranking
Company Name
Sector
Dividend yield (last 12 months)
Hammerson plc
Real Estate
20.7%
Investec plc
Financials
15.4%
Imperial Brands PLC
Consumer Staples
12.7%
Marks and Spencer Group plc
Consumer Discretionary
11.3%
Legal & General Group Plc
Financials
8.6%
Jupiter Fund Management plc
Financials
7.6%
SSE plc
Utilities
7.5%
British American Tobacco p.l.c.
Consumer Staples
7.1%
British Land Company PLC
Real Estate
6.1%
3i Group plc
Financials
4.9%

Properganda PR

National and local media coverage for property businesses. Journo quotes delivered in minutes.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Property compliance experts urge landlords not to ignore major tenancy changes under Renters’ Rights Act

Beresfords property group highlights key actions landlords must take as new tenancy rules, enforcement powers and energy standards approach. UK landlords are being warned not to overlook major changes to tenancy agreements and compliance requirements, as the Government moves closer to implementing the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Following the publication of draft secondary legislation, the…
Read More →
Breaking News

Nationwide becoming first lender to allow mortgage deeds to be signed digitally

Mary-Lou Press, President of NAEA Propertymark (National Association of Estate Agents), comments: “The conveyancing process remains one of the most common sources of frustration for buyers and sellers, with more than 30 per cent of housing transactions taking over 17 weeks to complete on average. These prolonged timescales only serve to increase pressure and uncertainty…
Read More →
Breaking News

Fruitful year ahead for aspiring first-time buyers

First-time buyers and those with little equity to refinance will find greater mortgage choice. During January, there was an uplift in higher LTV deals, with 90% LTV options at a record-high, plus a boost to 95% LTV deals, which are at their highest count since March 2008. The electronic monitoring of LTV choice at Moneyfacts…
Read More →
Breaking News

Lovelocked London homebuyers face romance premium

The latest research by London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, reveals that lovelocked London homebuyers house hunting across the capital’s most romantic locations can expect to pay house premiums of more than 64%. But couples can still find great value if they know where to look. Benham and Reeves has identified nine of…
Read More →
Breaking News

First-time buyers face highest hurdle in England

The latest research from Yopa has found that while first-time buyers in England continue to face the highest cost of getting a foot on the property ladder, at £27,807, it’s their Scottish counterparts who have seen this cost rise by the largest margin over the last year, increasing by 5.5%. Yopa analysed* the current cost…
Read More →
Breaking News

Rental price and average salary tracker – January 2026

Seasonal cooling deepens regional rent declines, while affordability pressures remain structurally high Month-on-month rental prices fell across the majority of regions, with particularly pronounced drops in the North East (−10.0%), South West (−8.1%), Yorkshire and Humberside (−7.4%), and Wales (−6.1%), highlighting a clear seasonal slowdown as demand softens post-Christmas. Year-on-year salary requirements show only modest…
Read More →