3 Top Dividend Stocks to Buy in November

Motley Fool spotlights three dividend-focused ideas for November: Novo Nordisk, Moody’s and Mastercard. Novo Nordisk has fallen roughly 70% from its high amid competition from Eli Lilly and compounding pharmacies but now trades under 14x 2025 earnings with a near-record 3.6% yield and exposure to a potentially $150bn obesity market alongside recent CEO-led strategic moves. Moody’s is presented as a durable, high-margin data and ratings franchise trading near 32x 2025 estimates with analysts forecasting 11–12% annual growth and a dividend payout around 25% of 2025 earnings, while Mastercard—benefiting from the long-term shift from cash to card payments and inflation-linked, percentage-based fees—trades just above 32x 2025 earnings with street estimates of roughly 15% annualized earnings growth, supporting continued cash generation and dividend increases.

Analysis

Novo Nordisk has fallen nearly 70% from its all-time high amid market-share losses to Eli Lilly and sustained pressure from compounding pharmacies; the stock now trades below 14× 2025 earnings estimates and yields about 3.6%. Management replaced the CEO and is pursuing more aggressive acquisitions and sales strategies, while the company retains exposure to a potential $150 billion obesity market over the next decade, making the sell-off appear potentially overdone but execution and competitive risk material. Moody's is described as a durable, high-margin data and ratings franchise trading around 32× 2025 estimates, with analysts projecting 11–12% annualized growth and a dividend raised for 15 consecutive years at a payout roughly one-quarter of 2025 earnings. Mastercard benefits from the secular shift from cash to card payments, trades just above 32× 2025 earnings with analysts forecasting ~15% annualized EPS growth, and combines percentage-based fees that scale with inflation and strong cash generation, though revenue is cyclical with consumer spending trends.

Key Decisions for Investors

• Consider selectively accumulating Novo Nordisk given the sub-14× 2025 EPS valuation and ~3.6% yield, but size new positions conservatively and monitor market-share trends versus Eli Lilly and compounding-pharmacy impacts
• Add or hold Moody's for a quality income-and-growth allocation given a reasonable ~32× 2025 valuation, forecasted 11–12% growth, low payout ratio and 15 years of dividend increases
• Buy or maintain exposure to Mastercard for secular payments growth and cash-flow resilience if comfortable paying just above 32× 2025 EPS, and consider tactical hedges or reduced exposure ahead of macro-driven declines in consumer transaction volumes