64 Best Dividend Stocks You Can Count On In 2020
When it comes to dividend stocks, yield isn't everything. If you're an income investor in it for the long haul, you know that steadily rising payouts are a vital factor, too.
For one, dividend increases lift the yield on an investor's original cost basis, meaning today's 1% yield might be much more in the future. They're also indicative of a firm's ability to withstand the ups and downs of the economy, as well as the stock market.
Enter the Dividend Aristocrats.
The Dividend Aristocrats are companies in the S&P 500 Index that have improved their annual payouts every year for at least 25 consecutive years. It's a mix of household names as well as companies with less name recognition that nonetheless play an outsize role in the American economy, even if it's mostly behind the scenes. But all of them offer some size, longevity and familiarity, providing comfort amid market uncertainty.
Here are the current 64 Dividend Aristocrats - including the newest faces that were just added in
Roper Technologies
Market value:
Dividend yield: 0.5%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 27
Analysts' opinion: 6 strong buy, 2 buy, 6 hold, 0 underperform, 0 sell
The diversified industrial company was tapped for the Dividend Aristocrats after it hiked its cash distribution for a 25th straight year at the end of 2017. Then in
A combination of acquisitions, organic growth and stronger margins have helped Roper juice its dividend without stretching its profits. With a payout ratio of just 15%, versus 40% for the S&P 500, this dividend stock should have ample room to keep the hikes coming for many years to come.
Sherwin-Williams
Market value:
Dividend yield: 0.8%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 41
Analysts' opinion: 11 strong buy, 3 buy, 15 hold, 0 underperform, 1 sell
Sherwin-Williams (SHW,
The company stumbled to start 2020 when it missed
Income investors certainly don't need to worry about Sherwin-Williams' steady and rising dividend stream. SHW has hiked its distribution every year since 1979, including a 31% jump in
Cintas
Market value:
Dividend yield: 0.9%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 36
Analysts' opinion: 4 strong buy, 4 buy, 5 hold, 0 underperform, 2 sell
Cintas (CTAS,
There may be something to that. Shares have shot 255% higher over the past five years, versus a gain of just 58% for the S&P 500. The current economic expansion has been going on for a record 10.5 years. Meanwhile, weekly jobless claims stand at levels not seen in 50 years.
Regardless of how the labor market is doing, Cintas is a stalwart as a dividend payer. The company has raised its payout every year since going public in 1983. Most recently, in October, CTAS raised its annual dividend by 24% to
NEW ARISTOCRAT: Ross Stores
Market value:
Dividend yield: 0.9%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 25
Analysts' opinion: 9 strong buy, 7 buy, 11 hold, 2 underperform, 1 sell
While Ross helps consumers save money, it has never been stingy with its dividend. The retailer has raised its payout for 25 consecutive years, landing it on the list of Dividend Aristocrats in
Analysts expect the chain to post average annual earnings growth of more than 9% for the next three to five years. Add in a payout ratio of just 20%, and there's plenty of reason to feel good that ROST's dividend streak will go on and on.
S&P Global
Market value:
Dividend yield: 0.9%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 47
Analysts' opinion: 5 strong buy, 6 buy, 5 hold, 1 underperform, 0 sell
Formerly known as McGraw Hill Financial,
Ecolab
Market value:
Dividend yield: 1.0%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 28
Analysts' opinion: 5 strong buy, 1 buy, 14 hold, 1 underperform, 0 sell
Ecolab (ECL,
Ecolab's fortunes can wane as industrial needs fluctuate, though; for instance, when energy companies pare spending, ECL will feel the burn.
Over the long haul, however, this Dividend Aristocrat's shares have been a proven winner. The stock has delivered an annualized return, including dividends, of 17.0% over the past decade, versus 13.8% for the S&P 500. That's thanks in no small part to 28 consecutive years of dividend increases. The company's most recent hike came in December, when ECL raised its quarterly payout by 2% to
Brown-Forman
Market value:
Dividend yield: 1.0%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 36
Analysts' opinion: 1 strong buy, 0 buy, 15 hold, 2 underperform, 0 sell
Brown-Forman (BF.B,
Unlike many of the best dividend stocks on this list, you won't have a say in corporate matters with the publicly traded BF.B shares. They hold no voting power. And most of the voting-class A shares are held by the Brown family.
Still, you can enjoy in the company's gains and dividends. That payout has been on the rise for 36 consecutive years and has been delivered without interruption for 74. Most recently, Brown-Forman upped the ante by 5% in
Becton Dickinson
Market value:
Dividend yield: 1.2%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 48
Analysts' opinion: 10 strong buy, 2 buy, 6 hold, 0 underperform, 0 sell
Medical devices maker
BDX's last hike was a 2.6% uptick announced in
NEW ARISTOCRAT: Expeditors International of Washington
Market value:
Dividend yield: 1.4%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 25
Analysts' opinion: 0 strong buy, 0 buy, 10 hold, 3 underperform, 2 sell
EXPD shares have been under pressure recently, and the company gave a bearish outlook in mid-January.
If past is prologue, however, EXPD will remain committed to its dividend. A payout ratio of just 26% should help ensure that it has ample resources to keep the streak alive.
McCormick & Co.
Market value:
Dividend yield: 1.5%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 34
Analysts' opinion: 1 strong buy, 0 buy, 6 hold, 2 underperform, 4 sell
McCormick (MKC,
Analysts expect average annual earnings growth of more than 6% for the next five years. That should provide support for McCormick's dividend, which has been paid for 95 consecutive years and raised annually for 34. Most recently, in November, the company hiked the dividend by nearly 9% to
"We remain committed to our long history of returning cash to shareholders and I am incredibly proud to announce another dividend increase," CEO
That
Abbott Laboratories
Market value:
Dividend yield: 1.7%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 48
Analysts' opinion: 10 strong buy, 5 buy, 4 hold, 1 underperform, 0 sell
Following its 2013 spinoff of AbbVie - another Dividend Aristocrat on this list that we'll discuss later -
The company has been expanding by acquisition as of late, including medical-device firm St. Jude Medical and rapid-testing technology business Alere, both snapped up in 2017.
PPG Industries
Market value:
Dividend yield: 1.7%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 47
Analysts' opinion: 9 strong buy, 3 buy, 12 hold, 1 underperform, 1 sell
Longer-term, however, analysts remain optimistic that the company can generate steady growth.
PPG's profits are forecast to grow at an average annual rate of 6.4% for the next three to five years, according to
Dover
Market value:
Dividend yield: 1.7%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 64
Analysts' opinion: 5 strong buy, 1 buy, 10 hold, 1 underperform, 0 sell
Dividend growth has been a priority for Dover (DOV,
The industrial conglomerate has its hands in all sorts of businesses, from Dover-branded pumps, lifts and even productivity tools for the energy business, to Anthony-branded commercial refrigerator and freezer doors.
It's not an exciting business, but it can be a remunerative one.
"Dover is focused on expanding productivity initiatives while its mergers and acquisitions pipeline remain robust,"
Linde
Market value:
Dividend yield: 1.7%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 26
Analysts' opinion: 10 strong buy, 3 buy, 6 hold, 2 underperform, 1 sell
Linde (LIN,
Praxair raised its dividend for 25 consecutive years before its merger, and the combined company is expected to continue to be a steady dividend payer. Prior to the merger, Linde, now headquartered in
Analysts project the multinational industrial firm's profits to increase at an average annual rate of almost 11% over the next three to five years, according to a survey by
Stanley Black & Decker
Market value:
Dividend yield: 1.7%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 52
Analysts' opinion: 8 strong buy, 4 buy, 9 hold, 0 underperform, 0 sell
Power- and hand-toolmaker
But Stanley isn't just some sleepy income stock. Analysts expect SWK to generate average annual earnings growth of nearly 9% a year over the next half-decade, thanks to a strategy of growth through acquisitions and cost cuts.
Stanley still is making deals in 2020, announcing in January that it would buy
Pentair
Market value:
Dividend yield: 1.8%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 44
Analysts' opinion: 4 strong buy, 2 buy, 11 hold, 2 underperform, 0 sell
NEW ARISTOCRAT: Albemarle
Market value:
Dividend yield: 1.8%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 25
Analysts' opinion: 7 strong buy, 3 buy, 9 hold, 2 underperform, 2 sell
The chemicals giant last hiked its dividend in late
"Providing our shareholders with a dividend increase every year for the past quarter of a century places
Walmart
Market value:
Dividend yield: 1.9%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 45
Analysts' opinion: 13 strong buy, 7 buy, 13 hold, 1 underperform, 0 sell
The world's largest retailer might not pay the biggest dividend, but it sure is consistent.
But while
Medtronic
Market value:
Dividend yield: 1.9%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 42
Analysts' opinion: 14 strong buy, 5 buy, 7 hold, 0 underperform, 0 sell
Medtronic (MDT,
MDT aims to return a minimum of 50 % of its free cash flow to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. The company can steer all this cash back to shareholders thanks to the ubiquity of its products.
Medtronic also spends heavily in research and development, including
Lowe's
Market value:
Dividend yield: 1.9%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 57
Analysts' opinion: 16 strong buy, 7 buy, 9 hold, 1 underperform, 0 sell
When it comes to home improvement chains, Home Depot (HD), a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, gets all the glory. But rival
Analysts expect
W.W. Grainger
Market value:
Dividend yield: 1.9%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 48
Analysts' opinion: 3 strong buy, 0 buy, 16 hold, 1 underperform, 1 sell
Fortunately for the income-minded, Grainger has achieved annual dividend growth for nearly half a century and maintains a comfortable 31% payout ratio. It renewed its Dividend Aristocrats membership card in
United Technologies
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.0%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 26
Analysts' opinion: 10 strong buy, 4 buy, 5 hold, 0 underperform, 1 sell
But this year will be a transitional one for
Also, note that
The
NEW ARISTOCRAT: Atmos Energy
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.0%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 25
Analysts' opinion: 3 strong buy, 3 buy, 4 hold, 2 underperform, 0 sell
Atmos clinched its 25th year of dividend growth in
"The company has a sturdy capital expenditure policy in place, helping it enhance the safety and reliability profile of its natural gas pipeline," notes
Chubb
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.0%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 26
Analysts' opinion: 4 strong buy, 5 buy, 9 hold, 2 underperform, 2 sell
Chubb (CB,
As the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company, Chubb boasts operations in 54 countries and territories. It's not the most exciting topic for dinner conversation, but it's a profitable business that supports a longstanding dividend.
The company's payout ratio stands at just 37% of earnings, so income investors can expect Chubb to remain among the Dividend Aristocrats for years to come.
Hormel Foods
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.0%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 54
Analysts' opinion: 0 strong buy, 1 buy, 8 hold, 3 underperform, 1 sell
Indeed, in November,
Aflac
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.1%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 37
Analysts' opinion: 1 strong buy, 2 buy, 8 hold, 1 underperform, 2 sell
Aflac (
A year ago, Aflac lifted its dividend for a 37th consecutive year, this time by 3.8% to
Analysts expect Aflac to generate average earnings growth of 3.4% a year for the next five years, according to
Automatic Data Processing
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.1%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 45
Analysts' opinion: 4 strong buy, 2 buy, 13 hold, 1 underperform, 0 sell
One of ADP's great advantages is its "stickiness." It's difficult and expensive for corporate customers to change payroll service providers. That competitive advantage helps throw off consistent income and cash flow. In turn, ADP has become a dependable dividend payer - one that has provided an annual raise for shareholders since 1975.
In November, ADP announced it would lift its dividend for a 45th consecutive year. The new payout of
Cincinnati Financial
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.1%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 59
Analysts' opinion: 1 strong buy, 1 buy, 5 hold, 1 underperform, 1 sell
Income investors can expect more where that came from. Over the 12 months ended
It might need some of that room, too, given lean earnings estimates.
Sysco
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.2%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 51
Analysts' opinion: 2 strong buy, 3 buy, 9 hold, 1 underperform, 1 sell
Sysco (SYY,
In
However, Sysco has been able to generate plenty of growth on its own, too. The combination of organic and M&A-based growth has produced a steady ramp-up in revenues for years. Analysts, meanwhile, expect average earnings growth of 11.3% annually over the next half-decade.
That should allow Sysco to maintain its spot among the best dividend stocks for payout growth. SYY's streak currently sits at half a century and includes a 15% hike to
Air Products & Chemicals
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.3%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 38
Analysts' opinion: 7 strong buy, 6 buy, 12 hold, 0 underperform, 0 sell
Air Products, which dates back to 1940, now is a slimmer company that has returned to focusing on its legacy industrial gases business. But it hasn't taken its eye off the dividend, which it has improved on an annual basis for 38 years in a row. That includes a 15.5% upgrade to be paid in May - the largest increase in company history.
"The board's decision to increase the dividend by over 15% reflects continued confidence in Air Products' strong financial position and cash flows," the company said in a news release. "In fiscal 2019, we paid nearly
A.O. Smith
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.3%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 27
Analysts' opinion: 3 strong buy, 0 buy, 8 hold, 1 underperform, 0 sell
Analysts expect the company's earnings to rise at a rate of 8% a year for the next five years, helped by the rollout of
T. Rowe Price Group
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.3%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 33
Analysts' opinion: 6 strong buy, 1 buy, 9 hold, 2 underperform, 0 sell
Asset managers such as
VF Corp.
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.3%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 47
Analysts' opinion: 10 strong buy, 6 buy, 9 hold, 1 underperform, 0 sell
Analysts expect average annual earnings growth of 13.4% for the next five years from this transforming company. In addition to picking up Icebreaker, the company also spun off
The company's dividend technically fell last year, from
KTB, which was spun off to shareholders in May, has a quarterly dividend of
Colgate-Palmolive
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.3%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 57
Analysts' opinion: 5 strong buy, 2 buy, 13 hold, 1 underperform, 1 sell
The company derives the vast majority of its sales outside the
But Colgate's dividend - which dates back more than a century, to 1895, and has increased annually for 57 years - should survive. CL last raised its quarterly payment in
General Dynamics
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.3%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 27
Analysts' opinion: 7 strong buy, 2 buy, 10 hold, 0 underperform, 1 sell
Defense contractor
Generous military spending has helped fuel this dividend stock's steady stream of cash returned to shareholders. In August, the
McDonald's
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.3%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 43
Analysts' opinion: 17 strong buy, 8 buy, 9 hold, 0 underperform, 0 sell
The world's largest hamburger chain also happens to be a dividend stalwart. Changing consumer tastes will always be a risk, but
Including dividends,
MCD last raised its dividend in September, when it lifted the quarterly payout by 7.8% to
Target
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.4%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 48
Analysts' opinion: 13 strong buy, 6 buy, 10 hold, 1 underperform, 0 sell
Target (TGT,
Target paid its first dividend in 1967, seven years ahead of
With a payout ratio of 38%, income investors can count on Target to keep hitting the mark for dividend growth. As for earnings growth: Analysts are looking for an average annual improvement of about 8.9% through the end of 2024 - not bad at all for a brick-and-mortar player.
Procter & Gamble
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.4%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 63
Analysts' opinion: 7 strong buy, 4 buy, 10 hold, 2 underperform, 0 sell
With major brands such as Tide detergent, Pampers diapers and Gillette razors,
That hardly makes P&G completely recession-proof, but it has helped fuel reliable dividend payments for more than a century. The Dow component has paid shareholders a dividend since 1890, and has raised its dividend annually for 63 years in a row. P&G last increased its payout in
Illinois Tool Works
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.5%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 56
Analysts' opinion: 3 strong buy, 0 buy, 12 hold, 3 underperform, 4 sell
Founded in 1912,
In August,
ITW has improved its dividend for 56 straight years. Its payout ratio of 54% is higher than many of the companies we've already covered, but it still leaves decent headroom for modest but steady increases for years to come.
NEW ARISTOCRAT: Essex Property Trust
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.5%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 25
Analysts' opinion: 5 strong buy, 5 buy, 14 hold, 1 underperform, 0 sell
The most recent increase came in
Although the dividend is what makes ESS stand out, it can please investors with price appreciation too. It's still early, but shares are beating the S&P 500 so far in 2020 - and over the past decade, Essex is beating the index by 93 percentage points on a price basis alone.
Johnson & Johnson
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.6%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 57
Analysts' opinion: 6 strong buy, 5 buy, 6 hold, 1 underperform, 0 sell
The Dow component is currently rushing to develop a vaccine for coronavirus - the pneumonia-like disease spreading rapidly in
That should continue if J&J can keep growing its earnings;
PepsiCo
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.7%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 47
Analysts' opinion: 6 strong buy, 1 buy, 12 hold, 2 underperform, 0 sell
Like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo (PEP,
Last year, Pepsi struck deals to buy BFY Brands, the maker of PopCorners snacks, and
That should help prop up PEP's earnings, which analysts expect will grow at 5.8% annually on average over the next five years. That should help the company continue its dividend growth streak, which reached 57 years last February thanks to a 3% hike to
Clorox
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.7%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 42
Analysts' opinion: 1 strong buy, 1 buy, 9 hold, 4 underperform, 2 sell
Clorox (CLX,
Although there's no telling when CLX will emerge from these challenges, something that has never been in doubt is the dividend. Clorox has increased its payout every year since 1977, most recently in
A payout ratio of roughly two-thirds of Clorox's earnings signals that future payout increases might be a little more modest, but the dividend appears plenty safe.
Coca-Cola
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.7%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 57
Analysts' opinion: 9 strong buy, 5 buy, 8 hold, 1 underperform, 0 sell
Coca-Cola (KO,
With the U.S. market for carbonated beverages on the decline for more than a decade, according to market research, Coca-Cola has responded by adding bottled water, fruit juices and teas to its product lineup to keep the cash flowing. In addition to the namesake Coca-Cola brand, KO also sports names such as Minute Maid, Powerade, Simply Orange and Vitaminwater.
The latest big-name deal made by Coca-Cola came in 2018, when it acquired
Emerson Electric
Market value:
Dividend yield: 2.8%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 63
Analysts' opinion: 6 strong buy, 4 buy, 14 hold, 0 underperform, 1 sell
The prolonged downturn in oil prices weighed on Emerson for a couple years as energy companies continued to cut back on spending. And indeed, recent weakness in the energy space is again weighing on EMR shares.
Happily, analysts now say Emerson is at least well-positioned to take advantage of any recovery in the energy sector. And they're forecasting decent earnings growth of about 7.2% annually on average over the next three to five years.
Emerson has paid dividends since 1956 and has boosted its annual payout for 63 consecutive years, including its last increase - 2% to
Kimberly-Clark
Market value:
Dividend yield: 3.0%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 48
Analysts' opinion: 2 strong buy, 3 buy, 9 hold, 1 underperform, 2 sell
Analysts polled by
Caterpillar
Market value:
Dividend yield: 3.1%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 26
Analysts' opinion: 6 strong buy, 5 buy, 12 hold, 1 underperform, 2 sell
The Dow component is highly sensitive to global economic conditions, and that certainly has been on display over the past couple years. Sluggishness overseas, especially in
Archer-Daniels-Midland
Market value:
Dividend yield: 3.2%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 46
Analysts' opinion: 6 strong buy, 2 buy, 5 hold, 0 underperform, 1 sell
But it's a slow-growth business, too. Analysts surveyed by
Consolidated Edison
Market value:
Dividend yield: 3.3%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 46
Analysts' opinion: 2 strong buy, 0 buy, 9 hold, 5 underperform, 3 sell
As a result, the longtime Dividend Aristocrat has been able to hike its annual distribution without interruption for more than four decades. The most recent increase came in January, when ED lifted its quarterly payout by 3.4% to
Genuine Parts
Market value:
Dividend yield: 3.3%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 63
Analysts' opinion: 2 strong buy, 0 buy, 12 hold, 1 underperform, 0 sell
Automotive and industrial replacement parts maker
Since its founding in 1928,
A longtime dividend machine, GPC has hiked its payout annually for more than six decades. That includes a nearly 6% improvement to its distribution, to
Federal Realty Investment Trust
Market value:
Dividend yield: 3.4%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 52
Analysts' opinion: 9 strong buy, 3 buy, 7 hold, 0 underperform, 0 sell
Real estate investment trusts such as
Few have been steadier than FRT.
Leggett & Platt
Market value:
Dividend yield: 3.4%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 48
Analysts' opinion: 0 strong buy, 0 buy, 7 hold, 0 underperform, 0 sell
It's not a particularly famous company, but it has been a dividend champion for long-term investors.
A somewhat elevated payout ratio of 70% indicates that future dividend increases might be modest, however.
Nucor
Market value:
Dividend yield: 3.4%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 47
Analysts' opinion: 6 strong buy, 3 buy, 4 hold, 1 underperform, 2 sell
Shareholders in
Whatever may come, investors have plenty of proof that
NEW ARISTOCRAT: Realty Income
Market value:
Dividend yield: 3.6%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 25
Analysts' opinion: 7 strong buy, 1 buy, 11 hold, 1 underperform, 0 sell
The company owns more than 5,900 commercial real estate properties that are leased out to more than 270 tenants - including Walgreens, 7-Eleven, FedEx (FDX) and
Walgreens Boots Alliance
Market value:
Dividend yield: 3.6%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 44
Analysts' opinion: 0 strong buy, 1 buy, 19 hold, 2 underperform, 2 sell
Tracing its roots back to a single drugstore founded in 1901,
The one thing that might halt that streak is a potential bid to go private. Walgreens reportedly was in discussions with private equity firms in late 2019 about a potential buyout, but nothing has come to light since then.
3M
Market value:
Dividend yield: 3.6%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 61
Analysts' opinion: 1 strong buy, 1 buy, 15 hold, 1 underperform, 1 sell
The last couple of years have been unkind to industrial conglomerate 3M (MMM,
However, whatever the shorter-term holds for 3M's share price, investors can bank on the conglomerate's steady payouts over the long haul. While inclusion in the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats requires a minimum of 25 years of uninterrupted annual dividend growth, MMM has much more - its dividend has improved annually for 61 consecutive years, and the payout dates back more than a century. The last hike was a 5.9% increase announced in early
Cardinal Health
Market value:
Dividend yield: 3.8%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 34
Analysts' opinion: 0 strong buy, 1 buy, 16 hold, 1 underperform, 2 sell
A steady stream of acquisitions helped wholesale drug and medical device distributor
More recently,
That's a bump in the road for this dividend battleship, which continues to prowl for acquisitions. CAH's last big deal was completed in summer 2017, when it acquired Medtronic's
On the dividend front,
Franklin Resources
Market value:
Dividend yield: 4.3%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 38
Analysts' opinion: 0 strong buy, 0 buy, 8 hold, 5 underperform, 3 sell
The name
Mutual fund providers have come under pressure because customers are eschewing traditional stock pickers in favor of indexed investments. However, Franklin has fought back in recent years by launching its first suite of passive exchange-traded funds.
The asset manager has raised its dividend annually since 1981, including a 4% hike to
NEW ARISTOCRAT: Amcor
Market value:
Dividend yield: 4.3%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 36
Analysts' opinion: 3 strong buy, 3 buy, 4 hold, 1 underperform, 1 sell
Amcor (AMCR,
Sometimes boring is beautiful, and that's the case with Amcor. It was named to the list of payout-hiking dividend stocks at the start of 2020 after its June acquisition of Bemis. Bemis, which fell out of the S&P 500 index and thus the Aristocrats in 2014, rejoined by merit of its merger with Amcor.
The analyst community expects the company to deliver average annual earnings growth of 8%. Also, with a yield of more than 4%, AMCR is one of the more generous Dividend Aristocrats.
People's United Financial
Market value:
Dividend yield: 4.6%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 26
Analysts' opinion: 0 strong buy, 1 buy, 12 hold, 0 underperform, 0 sell
PBCT was added to the Dividend Aristocrats in
Chevron
Market value:
Dividend yield: 4.8%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 33
Analysts' opinion: 10 strong buy, 9 buy, 5 hold, 1 underperform, 0 sell
Cut to today, and the outlook for oil at least looks more stable than it did back then. Kiplinger forecasts that prices will range from
With more than three decades of uninterrupted dividend growth under its belt,
AT&T
Market value:
Dividend yield: 5.5%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 36
Analysts' opinion: 9 strong buy, 4 buy, 17 hold, 0 underperform, 1 sell
Telecommunications stocks are synonymous with dividends. Customers pay for service every month, which ensures a steady stream of cash for these dividend stocks.
That said, the dividend growth isn't exactly breathtaking.
Exxon Mobil
Market value:
Dividend yield: 5.6%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 37
Analysts' opinion: 4 strong buy, 0 buy, 16 hold, 3 underperform, 1 sell
A descendant of
As a dividend stalwart -
However, oil-price issues and operational underperformance have driven the stock to decade lows, prompting a few analysts to sour on the stock. The flip side?
AbbVie
Market value:
Dividend yield: 5.8%
Consecutive annual dividend increases: 48
Analysts' opinion: 5 strong buy, 2 buy, 6 hold, 0 underperform, 0 sell
AbbVie (ABBV,
Including its time as part of Abbott, AbbVie upped its annual distribution for 47 consecutive years. The last hike, declared in
Best-selling treatments include Humira - a rheumatoid arthritis drug that has been approved for numerous other ailments, and that's Evaluate says is on pace to surpass Lipitor as the best-selling drug of all time. AbbVie also makes cancer drug Imbruvica, as well as testosterone replacement therapy AndroGel.
All told, AbbVie's pipeline includes dozens of products across various stages of clinical trials.
The Hanover Reports Fourth Quarter Net Income and Operating Income of $2.76 and $2.01 per Diluted Share, Respectively; Full Year Net Income and Operating Income of $10.46 and $8.16 per Diluted Share, Respectively; Full Year Combined Ratio of 95.6%; Full Year Combined Ratio, Excluding Catastrophes, of 91.8%
RenaissanceRe Reports Fourth Quarter 2019 Net Income Available to Common Shareholders of $33.8 Million, or $0.77 Per Diluted Common Share; Operating Income Available to Common Shareholders of $23.0 Million, or $0.52 Per Diluted Common Share
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