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Dividend Kings: Companies that have paid increasing dividends for 50 or more consecutive years are some of the best income generators available today.
But let’s be real: Sometimes, if you look at just the stock price, I wouldn’t blame you for wondering if you’ll ever be able to make money on it.
It comes with the territory. In essence, these dividend kings are mature companies with nothing left to prove. Investors wouldn’t expect to see AI-style growth in just a few months. But it doesn’t always have to be that way.
Some dividend kings show growth equal to or even better than the broader market. These are the ones to look for and I can show you exactly how.
How I came up with the following actions
In Bar Chart AnalyzerI used the following filters:
- Percent change to date: Greater than 20%. I’m filtering the results to include companies that have gained 20% or more so far this year.
- Current Analyst Rating: 3.5 – 5. This limits the results to companies that Wall Street expects to perform well in the future. A “moderate” or “strong” buy rating doesn’t guarantee success, but it is a strong indicator of a stock worth watching.
- Number of analysts: 12 or more, because the more analysts, the greater the confidence in the average rating.
- Investment ideas: Dividend kings, companies that have demonstrated resilience and stability for at least 50 years, making them an easy choice for long-term portfolios.
Four companies that fit these criteria, which I ordered from highest to lowest performance.
With that out of the way, let’s review the first Dividend King:
Abbvie Inc (ABBV)
AbbVie Inc. develops and manufactures medicines and health-related solutions that address various diseases, making it one of the largest biopharmaceutical companies in the world. It was formed in 2013 as a result of its separation from Abbott Laboratories. AbbVie is the company behind superstar drugs like Humira, Skyrizi, and more.
Just this week, AbbVie advanced aesthetic care by highlighting new work from Allergan Aesthetics, the company’s division focused on cosmetic treatments, including BOTOX and fillers. The latest ASDS 2025 data mentions innovations in fast-acting anti-wrinkle treatments and other skin treatments and fillers.
In its most recent financial statementsSales increased >9% year-over-year to $15.8 billion. However, net income has fallen to $188 million, from nearly $1.6 billion last year. AbbVie pointed to rising expenses, eroding Humira sales and other investments in initiatives that ultimately led to the quarter’s weak profitability. Despite that, the share price grew. 31% so far this year.
Today, AbbVie pays an annual forward dividend of $6.56, which translates to a yield of almost 3%. Not only that, a consensus among 28 analysts rates the stock as “Moderate purchase”, a constant feeling for the last three months.
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
The second dividend king on my list is Johnson & Johnson. It was founded in 1886 and has grown to become one of the largest companies with a global presence in the healthcare sector. Johnson & Johnson is behind some of the world’s most popular products, including Baby Powder, Listerine, and other well-known brands.
Last week, Johnson & Johnson gained FDA approval for DARZALEX FASPRO, the first and only treatment for high-risk smoldering multiple myeloma, which cuts the risk of disease progression in half.
In its most recent financial statementsThe company reported that sales increased about 7% year over year to approximately $24 billion. Its net income also grew 91% from the same quarter last year to $5.2 billion. In my opinion, this momentum could further boost the company’s strong strength. growth so far this year of 35%.
The company also pays an annual forward dividend of $5.20, which translates to about a 2.7% performance, and a consensus among 25 analysts rates the stock as a “Moderate Buy,” a sentiment that has also been consistent over the past three months. Yo
Nucor Corp (NUE)
Last on my list is Nucor Corp, another dividend king. The company was founded in 1940 and has grown to become the largest, safest, most productive and most profitable steel and steel products company.
Nucor recently reported that its core steel and downstream Expansion projects continued to increase and the results are reflected in its balance sheet, one of the strongest in its industry.
In Q3’25, Nucor’s reported revenue grew 14% year-over-year to $8.5 billion, while net income rose 143% to $607 million. NUE Stock Has Also Risen 25% so far this yearpaying a advance annual dividend of $2.20which translates to a yield of approximately 1.5%.
Finally, a consensus among 14 analysts rates the stock as “Strong buy”, a rating that has remained strong over the past three months.
Now, I know I said I would cover three stocks, but I have an added bonus:
Parker-Hannifin Corp (PH)
For this Dividend King bonus, I have Parker-Hannifin Corp, a company that serves the industrial and aerospace niche. Founded in 1917, Parker-Hannifin has become a global leader in control technologies, delivering engineered solutions that keep everything moving.
A few days ago, Parker Hannifin announced its plans to acquire Filtration groupwhich should expand Parker’s filtration technologies and boost its aftermarket business.
In its most recent financial statementsThe company reported that sales grew about 4% year-over-year to $5.1 billion, while its net income rose about 16% to $808 million. With these figures, it is not surprising that the stock grew more 32% so far this year.
The company pays a advance annual dividend of $7.20which translates to a yield of 0.86%, and a consensus among 23 analysts rates the stock as “Strong buy”, a rating that has remained constant over the past three months.
Final thoughts
These four dividend kings have performed exceptionally well over the past year, outperforming the broader market while consistently receiving buy ratings from Wall Street, highlighting their overall strength and reliability as income-producing investments. Whether its share price will continue to grow in 2026 is anyone’s guess. But investors who buy this stock today should do so for its “lifetime income” attribute, not AI-style growth.
As of the date of publication, Rick Orford had no (directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article are for informational purposes only. For more information, see Barchart’s Disclosure Policy here.
