The healthcare sector (XLV) is one of my top three for dividend investors this quarter. The reason is simple - of the eleven S&P 500 sectors, healthcare, real estate and utilities have the clearest and cleanest outlook for earnings growth. Within that sector, I have singled out National HealthCare Corporation (NHC) as a target for dividend growth investors.
National HealthCare doesn't pay the highest yield in the sector but it does pay more than the broad-market average, it has a history of distribution increases and has the right positioning for earnings-driven