No Matter What Happens To The Market, These 3 Dividend St…
1. This could be the world’s most resilient business
Altria Group (MO +0.82%) sells tobacco and nicotine products in the United States, led by its Marlboro cigarette brand. Smoking rates in the United States have steadily declined for many decades. Yet Altria Group has 56 consecutive years of annual dividend increases. And yes, Altria ships fewer cigarettes each year. Despite that, Altria continues to grow its profits by cutting costs and raising prices. Nicotine might be the most addictive legal substance on Earth, which affords tobacco companies unique pricing power.
Expand
NYSE: MO
Altria Group
Today’s Change
(0.82%) $0.57
Current Price
$70.16
Key Data Points
Market Cap
$117B
Day’s Range
$69.43 – $70.86
52wk Range
$54.70 – $74.56
Volume
205.2K
Avg Vol
9.2M
Gross Margin
79.39%
Dividend Yield
7.49%
The obvious concern is that eventually, this playbook won’t work as volumes shrink too much to overcome. But that concern is now decades old, and Altria still chugs on. Management has failed to diversify the business, but there’s still time to get that right over the coming years. Altria’s dividend payout ratio is still manageable at 75% of 2026 earnings estimates, and Wall Street anticipates low-to-mid single-digit annualized earnings growth.
Until then, Altria stock boasts a robust 5.9% dividend yield, sells a recession-proof product, and will almost assuredly continue inching that dividend higher year after year. Investors should be able to buy Altria and sleep well at night, at least for the next several years.
2. This retail giant still has a bright future
Walmart (WMT +0.32%) is the world’s largest retailer and a focal point of consumer spending in the United States. Its massive size and scale give it leverage with suppliers and overwhelming efficiencies to sell its goods at low prices that competitors simply cannot sustain. Today, roughly 90% of Americans live within a short drive of a Walmart store.
Expand
NASDAQ: WMT
Walmart
Today’s Change
(0.32%) $0.39
Current Price
$121.21
Key Data Points
Market Cap
$963B
Day’s Range
$119.88 – $122.94
52wk Range
$94.09 – $135.16
Volume
921.1K
Avg Vol
20.6M
Gross Margin
24.98%
Dividend Yield
0.80%
Consumers can go to Walmart for groceries and household essentials, pick out a new TV, and have their tires changed, all in the same trip. Therefore, Walmart stores are typically busy, and that constant activity has made it a tremendous dividend stock with 53 consecutive annual dividend increases. Walmart has also adapted to industry changes, utilizing its store network to compete with Amazon in e-commerce. That has become a major growth engine for the future.
Analysts see Walmart growing earnings by 9% to 10% annually over the next three to five years, funding more dividend hikes along the way. Shoppers will almost certainly continue shopping at Walmart, so there’s almost zero risk that the bottom will fall out of this world-class business model. Investors can buy, hold, and continue to count on Walmart no matter how shaky the markets may become.
3. A Buffett favorite and iconic brand
The Coca-Cola Company (KO 0.78%) adds to this ongoing theme of products people need, no matter what happens. People will always get thirsty, and Coca-Cola is the best at capitalizing on that. It’s a global beverage juggernaut with countless distribution points worldwide, including stores, venues, vending machines, you name it. Coca-Cola is known for its namesake soda but also sells dozens of other brands of soda, water, juice, coffee, tea, and more.
Expand
NYSE: KO
Coca-Cola
Today’s Change
(-0.78%) $-0.63
Current Price
$80.28
Key Data Points
Market Cap
$345B
Day’s Range
$79.84 – $81.39
52wk Range
$65.35 – $84.04
Volume
16.5K
Avg Vol
15.2M
Gross Margin
61.82%
Dividend Yield
2.59%
There’s no better endorsement a stock can get than from legendary investor Warren Buffett, who bought Coca-Cola stock for Berkshire Hathaway in the late 1980s. Buffett is a known fan of the iconic brand, and Berkshire Hathaway still holds the stock today. Part of the reason for that is Coca-Cola’s clockwork-dividend. The company has paid and raised the dividend for 64 consecutive years. Plus, the stock offers a solid initial dividend yield of 2.5% right now.
There’s no reason to doubt the resiliency of Coca-Cola’s dividend. Analysts see the company growing earnings by an average of 7% to 8% annually over the next three to five years. Coca-Cola sells more than 2.2 billion servings each day. All those little transactions add up to massive profits, and it’s unly people worldwide will suddenly stop drinking its products. Investors can be Buffett and put their hard-earned capital into Coca-Cola stock.
Read Next
Safest Stocks to Buy in 2026: Low-Risk Picks for Stability
•By Stefon Walters
•By Matt DiLallo
•By Lyle Daly
The Largest Consumer Staples Companies by Market Cap in June 2026
•By Matt DiLallo
Altria Just Posted Its Strongest Growth in Years, but There’s a Catch
About the Author
Justin Pope is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering information technology, consumer discretionary, consumer staples, and industrials. Prior to The Motley Fool, Justin was a business manager for an industrial company.
Stocks Mentioned
Altria Group
NYSE: MO
$70.19
(+0.86%)+$0.60
Motley Fool Stock Advisor’s Latest Pick
—% Avg Return
Coca-Cola
NYSE: KO
$80.28
(-0.78%)-$0.63
Walmart
NASDAQ: WMT
$121.21
(+0.32%)+$0.39
Berkshire Hathaway
NYSE: BRKA
$742,386.00
(+0.05%)+$340.00
Amazon
NASDAQ: AMZN
$246.14
(+0.05%)+$0.12
Berkshire Hathaway
NYSE: BRKB
$494.95
(-0.11%)-$0.57
*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.
Sumber Artikel:
Fool.com