Nordson

NDSN

Market cap $14.9B

Investors looking for stocks in the Manufacturing - General Industrial sector might want to consider either Mueller Water Products (MWA) or Nordson (NDSN). But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now?

Nordson (NDSN) reported earnings 30 days ago. What's next for the stock?

My Top 15 High-Growth Dividend Stock list delivered a 0.83% gain in December, outperforming SPY and VIG. The Value-tilted portfolio variant led with a 2.17% December return, suggesting undervaluation may drive near-term alpha. Collectively, the January 2026 list offers a 1.35% yield, 16.87% five-year dividend growth, and appears 29% undervalued.

Investing in Dividend Aristocrats can anchor your portfolio by providing solid dividend growth from proven, successful businesses that have endured multiple business cycles.

NDSN is gaining momentum as its Medical and Fluid Solutions segment delivers solid organic growth and margin expansion.

The ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrat ETF (NOBL) underperformed SPY in 2025, gaining 7.2% versus SPY's 18.42%. Despite average underperformance, select Aristocrats like CAH (+74.18%), ALB (+66.90%), and CHRW (+61.22%) delivered strong double-digit returns. Dividend growth for the Aristocrats slowed to 5.52% in 2025, down from 5.78% in 2024, with 68 of 69 raising payouts.

Dividend Kings underperformed SPY in 2025, up 4.47% vs. SPY's 17.7%, but select Kings outperformed the index. Twenty-two Dividend Kings are identified as both potentially undervalued and offering long-term expected annualized returns of at least 10%. Dividend growth for the Kings remains subdued at 5.81% for 2025, trailing the 2024 rate of 6.32%.

NDSN is benefiting from end-market recovery, acquisition synergies and strong capital returns, making the stock attractive for long-term investors.

Nordson Corporation ( NDSN ) Q4 2025 Earnings Call December 11, 2025 8:30 AM EST Company Participants Lara Mahoney - Vice President of Investor Relations & Corporate Communications Sundaram Nagarajan - President, CEO & Director Daniel Hopgood - Executive VP & CFO Conference Call Participants Michael Halloran - Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, Research Division Mitchell Moore - KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Research Division Matt Summerville - D.A.

NDSN tops earnings forecasts as Medical and Fluid Solutions strength lifts margins, though Q4 revenues fall short of expectations.