How to find dividend growth stocks in the US and Europe is one of the most common questions we receive from listeners. It sounds simple on the surface, but once you actually sit down to do it, you quickly realise how noisy and overwhelming the landscape can be.

Five years ago, we covered this topic in one of our earliest episodes. Back then, the investing world looked different. Blogging was thriving, the CCC list was widely shared and regularly updated, and most of us were still figuring out our own frameworks. Fast forward to today and a lot has changed. Tools have evolved, many bloggers have disappeared, AI has entered the chat, and European data is still as fragmented as ever.

So in this episode, we revisited the process from a 2026 perspective and asked ourselves a simple question: if we were starting today, how would we find high-quality US and European dividend growth stocks?

This episode was recorded in 2026. The principles are evergreen, but market conditions, valuations, and individual company circumstances can change over time.

Start With a Framework, Not a Ticker

The biggest mistake we see beginners make is starting with a stock idea instead of a process. Someone mentions a company on YouTube, in a forum, or on social media, and the next step is to check the yield and maybe glance at the P/E ratio. That approach almost guarantees weak conviction when volatility hits.

For us, everything begins with a structured framework. Before we care about valuation or narrative, we look at five core areas: revenue and earnings consistency, future growth prospects, balance sheet strength, dividend affordability, and management’s commitment to the dividend. If a company struggles materially in one of these areas, it becomes difficult to justify owning it as a long-term dividend compounder.

When you start with a framework, you are far less likely to be shaken out of positions when headlines turn negative. You understand what you own and, just as importantly, why you own it.

Finding US Dividend Growth Stocks

From a data perspective, the US market remains the easiest place to start. Reporting standards are consistent, quarterly filings are structured, and the quality of available data is generally high. That makes screeners far more reliable.

Historically, the CCC list was the starting point for many dividend growth investors. While it is no longer maintained in its original form, updated versions exist through platforms such as Digrin. Finviz also remains a practical free tool for filtering by dividend yield, payout ratio, debt levels, and valuation metrics.

A typical first pass might involve filtering for companies with a yield above a certain threshold, a manageable payout ratio, and reasonable leverage. That gives you a shortlist. It does not give you conviction. The real work still happens in the annual report, the earnings call transcript, and the capital allocation track record. The screener narrows the field. Your analysis decides whether a company deserves capital.

Finding European Dividend Growth Stocks

Europe is a different challenge altogether. Reporting frequency varies, interim and final dividend structures can distort headline data, and some screeners simply get the numbers wrong. It is not unusual to see incorrect payout ratios or misclassified dividend cuts because of how dividends are structured.

That is why community input matters more in Europe. Discussions in focused dividend communities, country-specific stock lists, and insights from investors who follow local markets closely often prove more valuable than any screener. Many of the European companies we have analysed over the years came to us through listener questions or community discussions rather than automated filters.

If you want exposure to euro-denominated or sterling-denominated income, being part of a community where ideas are actively debated can significantly shorten your research time.

Using AI to Accelerate Learning

One major difference compared to five years ago is the availability of AI tools. Today, you can upload an annual report and ask for clarification on a specific metric, such as a solvency ratio or combined ratio, and receive a structured explanation within seconds.

That is powerful, especially for newer investors.

However, the role of AI should be to accelerate understanding, not replace independent thinking. If the underlying data is weak or misunderstood, the conclusions will be equally flawed. AI can help you learn faster, summarise complex disclosures, and clarify terminology, but it cannot replace judgement.

Dividend investing still requires you to think critically about business models, competitive advantages, and long-term sustainability.

Where Ideas Actually Come From

In reality, most of our ideas today do not come from sitting down with a blank screener. They come from paying attention to earnings season, dividend hike announcements, capital allocation decisions, and discussions within our community.

For example, recent insurance company updates caught our attention because of unusually strong dividend increases combined with robust solvency ratios. When you repeatedly see companies demonstrating capital discipline and consistent growth, that often points to deeper quality.

Experience narrows your universe over time. Instead of scanning thousands of companies, you monitor a focused group of sectors and names where you already understand the dynamics.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

There are a few recurring mistakes that we have both made in the past and regularly see from new investors. Copying a portfolio without understanding the thesis is one of them. Chasing yield without evaluating dividend safety is another. Overconcentration in a popular stock can also backfire quickly.

The first significant drawdown is usually where these weaknesses show up. If you have not built conviction through analysis, volatility becomes emotionally overwhelming.

Building your own process is what allows you to remain steady when markets are anything but.

Managing a Larger Portfolio

We were also asked how we manage portfolios with more than twenty positions while balancing work and family life. The honest answer is that not every position requires constant attention.

The heavy lifting happens at the beginning when you analyse a company and define your thesis. After that, the task becomes monitoring whether the thesis changes. Some companies remain stable for years and require minimal attention. Others demand more scrutiny due to industry shifts or capital allocation decisions.

Investing is a long game. You develop systems that allow you to focus attention where it is needed rather than reacting to every headline.

Chapters From the Episode

0:00–5:00 – Market update and dividend streak ending
5:00–15:00 – Why we revisited this topic
15:00–25:00 – US screeners and dividend lists
25:00–35:00 – European dividend challenges
35:00–45:00 – Using AI tools effectively
45:00–60:00 – Dividend safety and portfolio discipline
60:00–End – Listener questions and practical insights

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