Dividend income hunters should look for companies with steadily increasing payout ratios and robust free cash flow support. Wolfe Research highlighted Merck & Co. (MRK) and Qualcomm (QCOM) as large-cap stocks with considerable dividend growth potential. Merck has a market cap of $235 billion, while Qualcomm is valued at $178 billion. Both companies have strong financial positions, with Merck showing a 3.4% yield and Qualcomm boasting a 2.18% yield. Analysts are cautiously optimistic, with Merck projected to have a 20% EPS growth and Qualcomm expected to have a 16% upside potential. Investors can expect regular dividend hikes from both companies.

Read more at Barchart: 2 Dividend Stocks to Buy Now for Big Payout Growth Ahead