Choppiness in the S&P 500 has meant periods of up and down without as clear a positive trajectory as was apparent for much of the last portion of 2025. If investors fear a market correction—the popping of an AI bubble, for instance—they may be inclined to turn toward safer defensive plays, including dividend stocks.
Within the world of dividend plays, though, there is a great variety. Many investors immediately think of the long-time favorites of investors like Warren Buffett, companies that are worldwide brands or are otherwise extremely stable. A lesser-known group of dividend plays may include firms off the beaten path but with more potential room for growth than the stalwart dividend go-to names. Three of these relatively obscure companies still paying healthy dividends are Hancock Whitney Corp. (NASDAQ: HWC), NewMarket Corp. (NYSE: NEU), and Horace Mann Educators Corp. (NYSE: HMN).
