With a new presidential administration set to take office on Jan. 20, 2025, some investors may be uncertain about how new policies and personnel will affect the stock market and interest rates. Will tariffs, discarded trade deals, and frayed alliances help or hurt the market? Fortunately, there are stocks—such as the so-called “Dividend Kings”—that have longstanding histories of steady dividend payments. Those dividends can keep many stocks’ returns above water even when the rest of the market is at risk for drowning. 

Companies may alter dividends in response to economic and company-specific conditions. Hormel and Campbell’s are two companies that increased their dividend payouts to shareholders this week. Campbell's Board of Directors approved a 5% quarterly dividend increase, from $0.37 per share to $0.39 per share, while Hormell’s annual dividend rate increased by 3%, from $1.13 per share to $1.16 per share.

If you’ve been looking to add historically-reliable income-generating assets to your portfolio but are unsure how to identify these opportunities, the good news is that you can perform your own research by using the best stock screeners and online brokerage platforms.

Top Stocks With 50 Years of Dividend Growth History Right Now

If you are looking for stocks that are steady dividend payers, you can start with two predefined lists. One consists of so-called “Dividend Aristocrats,” which are companies in the S&P 500 index that have increased their dividends for at least each of the past 25 years. That index’s name is a registered trademark of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC.

The other list consists of what are known as “Dividend Kings.” Members of that group do not have to be members of the S&P 500 or of any other index. Still, many investors consider the Kings a more exclusive list. That’s because those stocks have achieved an even more difficult distinction. They have raised their dividends for the past 50 years or more in a row.

Ben Reynolds, founder and CEO of SureDividend.com, which publishes a list of Dividend Kings, goes one step further in the hunt for good dividend growers. He suggests seeking Dividend Kings already trading within 10% of their 52-week low, which is a filter that can often be set on many standalone stock screeners and online brokerage screeners.

Reynolds’ strategy leads you to five Kings:

Becton Dickinson (BDX)

• Dividend yield: 1.7% 
• “Becton Dickinson is a global leader in the medical supply industry. . . Its current dividend yield is 1.9%. “We expect earnings-per-share to compound at 8.0% annually in the years ahead,” Reynolds said.
  

PepsiCo (PEP)

• Dividend yield: 3.4% 
• “PepsiCo owns an iconic portfolio of well-known beverage and snack brands, including: Pepsi, Gatorade, Aquafina, Doritos, Cheetos, and Ruffles. . . The stock has a solid [3.4%] dividend yield, . . . and we expect 6.0% annualized earnings-per-share growth ahead,” said Reynolds.

H.B. Fuller (FUL)

• Dividend yield: 1.2% 
• “H.B. Fuller is a specialty chemicals company specializing in adhesives and sealants. . . [The] current yield is modest at just 1.2%. The stock is trading within 10% of its 52-week low, so now may be an opportune entry point,” Reynolds said.
  

PPG Industries (PPG)

• Dividend yield: 2.2%
• “PPG Industries is a leading paint and coatings business with a . . . 2.2% dividend yield. We expect robust 8.0% annualized earnings-per-share growth ahead,” Reynolds said.

Tennant Co. (TNC)

• Dividend yield: 1.4% 
• “Tennant is a cleaning products manufacturer with a market cap of less than $2 billion. . . [Its] dividend yield is comparable to the S&P 500’s, and we expect 7.0% annualized earnings-per-share growth ahead,” Reynolds said.

How to Find Top Dividend Stocks

Dividends are not the only reason that investors like dividend stocks. Companies that have paid and increased dividends for decades typically have the following traits that may bode well for continued profit growth and reliable payouts:

• Durable competitive advantages that help them outperform their rivals year after year
• Ability to grow earnings per share for sustained periods
• Executives and directors who value returning excess profits to shareholders

Top stock screeners and online brokers offer excellent tools for finding all types of investing opportunities, including dividend stocks.

Financial advisors are another source of leads. Paul Schatz, president of Heritage Capital and treasurer of the National Association of Active Investment Managers (NAAIM), recommends diversifying.

“I would choose one or two companies in each industry sector. For example, industrials, energy, utilities, consumer goods, etc.” Schatz said. He also told Investopedia that it may be wise to look for dividend stocks that have enjoyed big share price gains in the past year and, as a result, might be poised for a pullback, which would make them available at a discount.

Compare the Best Online Brokers for Finding Dividend Stocks