Small Cap Top Performers in January

Here's a quick look at some of the top performing dividend stocks, year to date, that have a market cap of $1 billion or less. E-House (China) Holdings EJ shares are trading about 38% higher year to date despite pulling back more than 4% last week. The real estate company announced in December that it would merge with China Real Estate Information Corp. CRIC. The dividend yield is 4.2% and the long-term EPS growth forecast is 30.7%. E-House is based in Shanghai and was founded in 2000. But the stock has narrowly underperformed CRIC over the past six months. KB Home KBH is up almost 53% in the past month. The stock got a boost earlier this month when competitor Lennar LEN announced a positive earnings surprise. Last week CBS CBS CEO said he would leave the KB Home board. This Los Angeles-based homebuilder has a market cap of $867.3 million, a dividend yield of 2.5% and a long-term EPS growth forecast of 10.3%. The stock has outperformed competitors Lennar and Pulte Group PHM year to date. Mahanagar Telephone Nigam MTE is more than 45% higher year to date, including more than 14% just in the past week. The company provides telecommunication services in Delhi and Mumbai, and revenues for the fiscal year are forecast to be 5.6% higher year over year. The company was founded in 1986. It has a market cap of $381.1 million and its dividend yield is 3.5%. But the stock has underperformed the broader markets over the past six months. Noranda Aluminum NOR shares are trading about 33% higher year to date and rose 6% in the past week. Full-year revenues are forecast to be 20.6% higher year over year when the Tennessee-based company reports on February 15. The company has a market cap of $738.2 million, a long-term EPS growth forecast of 16.2% and a dividend yield of 1.1%. Over the past six months, the stock has outperformed larger peers Alcoa AA and Aluminum Corp. of China ACH. Privatebancorp PVTB is about 31% higher than a month ago, but more than 12% below the 52-week high. The company just reported better-than-expected Q4 EPS and a sizable decrease in nonperforming loans over the past year. This regional bank is based in Chicago and has a market cap of $1.0 billion. Its dividend yield is 0.3%. Over the past six months, the stock has outperformed competitors Fifth Third Bancorp FITB and Northern Trust NTRS. SouFun Holdings SFUN is up almost 49% in the past month and more than 10% higher than a year ago. The Chinese company operates an internet portal dedicated to real estate. Earnings are forecast to show a 57% gain for 2011, its sixth straight year of profit improvement. The dividend yield is 9.9% and the market cap is $372.7 million. The long-range EPS growth forecast is 36.7%. Over the past six months, the stock has outperformed competitor Sohu.com SOHU. Tsakos Energy Navigation TNP is more than 37% higher year to date, including more than 6% in the past week. The company has paid consecutive quarterly dividends since 2002. This Greek tanker operator has a $302.7 million market cap and a dividend yield of 9.2%. Revenue for the fiscal year is forecast to decline 2.6%. The stock has outperformed competitors Frontline FRO and Teekay TK, as well as the broader markets, over the past three months. See also: Benzinga's Microcap Movers for Friday January 27, 2012.