For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL – July 1, 2026 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY, AZZ Inc. AZZ and Matson, Inc. MATX.
Here are highlights from Tuesday’s Analyst Blog:
3 Stocks in Focus Announcing Dividend Hikes Amid Market Volatility
Volatility has returned to Wall Street as concerns grow over rising inflation and fears of a potential rate hike by the Federal Reserve this year. Oil prices have eased after the United States and Iran signed a preliminary peace deal, but a tech selloff lately has once again been rattling markets.
Given this ongoing uncertainty, conservative investors seeking assured income and looking for ways to protect their capital may want to consider holding or investing in dividend-paying stocks.
Such stocks provide steady earnings through regular dividend payouts and can help mitigate the effects of market volatility. Three such stocks are: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., AZZ Inc. and Matson, Inc..
Volatility Returns to Wall Street
AI-related tech stocks have been suffering lately as concerns have been growing about their sustainability. This has resulted in investors rotating out of AI-related stocks and taking refuge in defensive assets. Tech stocks have been driving the broader market rally over the past few years, but doubts about their profitability are now concerning investors.
Several other factors are also weighing on the markets. Inflation has been rising over the last three months. The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index jumped 4.1% from year-ago levels in May, its largest gain since April 2023, the Commerce Department reported last week. This comes after PCE inflation jumped an unrevised 3.8% in April.
Month over month, the PCE index rose 0.4% in May, after climbing 0.7% in April. Oil and other energy prices rose 6.5%. Although oil prices have eased substantially since the United States and Iran signed a temporary peace deal, the impact of the Middle East crisis is far from over.
The jump in global oil prices was primarily responsible for the surge in inflation, which has now drifted far away from the Federal Reserve's 2% target. The Federal Reserve is now planning to go for a rate hike in its bid to tame inflation. Markets are pricing in a 25-basis-point interest rate hike by the end of this year.
3 Stocks That Recently Announced Dividend Hikes
John Wiley & Sons
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is a global provider of knowledge and knowledge-enabled services that improve outcomes in areas of research, professional practice and education. Through the Research segment, WLY provides digital and print scientific, technical, medical and scholarly journals, reference works, books, database services, and advertising. John Wiley & Sons has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
On June 25, John Wiley & Sons announced that its shareholders would receive a dividend of $0.36 a share on Aug. 23. WLY has a dividend yield of 2.95%. Over the past five years, John Wiley & Sons has increased its dividend six times, and its payout ratio presently sits at 34% of earnings. Check John Wiley & Sons' dividend history here.
AZZ Inc
AZZ Inc. is a global provider of metal coating services, welding solutions, specialty electrical equipment and highly engineered services to the markets of power generation, transmission, distribution and industrial in protecting metal and electrical systems used to build and enhance the world's infrastructure. AZZ has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
On June 25, AZZ declared that its shareholders would receive a dividend of $0.25 a share on Aug. 30. AZZ has a dividend yield of 0.51%. Over the past five years, AZZ has increased its dividend two times, and its payout ratio presently sits at 13% of earnings. Check AZZ's dividend history here.
Matson, Inc.
Matson, Inc. operates as an ocean transportation and logistics company. MATX offers shipping services in Hawaii, Guam and the Micronesia islands and expedited service from China to Southern California. Matson has a Zacks Rank #3.
On June 25, Matson announced that its shareholders would receive a dividend of $0.38 a share on Sept. 3. MATX has a dividend yield of 0.74%. Over the past five years, Matson has increased its dividend six times, and its payout ratio presently sits at 11% of earnings. Check Matson's dividend history here.
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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 a little-known satellite-based communications firm. Space is projected to become a trillion dollar industry, and this company's customer base is growing fast. Analysts have forecasted a major revenue breakout in 2025. Of course, all our elite picks aren't winners but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like Hims & Hers Health, which shot up +209%.
Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners UpAZZ Inc. (AZZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Matson, Inc. (MATX) : Free Stock Analysis Report
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (WLY) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
