Hyman manages the ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL). With markets in a place of volatility, inflation running rampant, and the Federal Reserve considering an indeterminate number of rate hikes, dividends are positioned to take center stage, with S&P Dow Jones Indices estimated to pay out over $541 billion this year, a 6% increase from 2021. “When companies increase their dividends, … it is a sign of confidence in future cash flows,” said Simeon Hyman to the Street.