If the goal of investing is to turn today’s savings into tomorrow’s reliable cash flow, Dividend Kings are about as close as the market gets to surefire. Every member of this elite club has raised its payout for at least half a century, surviving oil shocks, stagflation, tech busts, financial meltdowns and the fastest rate-hiking cycle in modern memory.
As such, these names are often treated as the backbone of any “buy once, sleep well” portfolio. And even among Dividend Kings, some businesses stand out for the way they balance current yield with long runway growth, letting an investor collect rising income without constantly worrying about the next downturn.
Here are three you can buy and hold forever whose businesses are lasting and profitable enough to keep the dividends rising forever.
Universal Corp (UVV)
Universal Corp (NYSE:UVV) is not a cigarette-maker. It is the world’s largest leaf-tobacco merchant that buys raw tobacco from farmers in ~30 countries. It then processes, blends, packs and ships it to the big cigarette manufacturers.
Because it never touches retail sales, its revenue moves with global leaf volumes and prices, not with end-market stick sales. This is how it has mostly bucked the trend of a rapid decline in cigarette sales worldwide.
The company is re-engineering what it sells, to whom, and on what terms. Per the company’s CEO, “We generally prefer balanced to slight oversupply markets … we don’t buy on a speculative basis … it mitigates that risk that we would end up a year with a lot of uncommitted inventory.”
This conservatism has allowed the stock to trade with exceptional stability over the years. The business itself gushes cash and is growing in the long run. Annual revenue increased from $2.23 billion in FY 2019 to $2.95 billion in FY 2025.
UVV stock has a 5.9% dividend yield with 55 consecutive years of dividend increases. Its forward payout ratio is 71.15%, which is exceptional for a stock yielding this high.
Northwest Natural (NWN)
Northwest Natural (NYSE:NWN) is mainly a natural gas distribution utility that serves customers in Oregon and southwestern Washington. It owns pipes across thousands of miles from Portland south to Eugene, and across the Columbia River into southwest Washington. Because the franchise is exclusive, almost everything inside the service territory ends up taking gas from NW Natural. It also has a presence in other states and in wastewater.
But the monopoly position underpins why I believe NWN is a solid long-term holding if you want dividends and stability. That is the main driver of the business. Gas and water are non-discretionary and are unlikely to give way to downturns. Sales and profits have been growing steadily and should continue to do so.
Its dividend increase streak of 69 years is the second longest on the Dividend Kings’ list (tied with the stock below). NWN yields 4.72% with a payout ratio of 67%. Analysts see ~9.1% annual sales growth and ~10.8% EPS growth in the coming years.
Genuine Parts (GPC)
Genuine Parts (NYSE:GPC) is one of the oldest automotive and industrial replacement parts companies. Its best-known brand is NAPA Auto Parts (6,000+ stores), but it also owns Motion (industrial bearings, belts, hoses, etc.).
If your primary goal is a “set-it-and-forget-it” Dividend King that beats inflation, doesn’t scare you with cyclical swings and won’t cut the dividend, GPC is one of the best in the class.
This is not a company that I’d buy for double-digit growth, but for durable growth a bit above GDP. If re-industrialization becomes aggressive and the government continues focusing on boosting domestic manufacturing, there could be enough demand for high single-digit growth in the coming decade.
Revenue grew 3.39% to $6.16 billion in Q2 2025, beating estimates by 0.82%. Similar top and bottom line growth is expected in the coming years. However, re-industrialization and an aging civilian vehicle fleet can help GPC outperform in the longer run.
The dividend longevity and consistency put it on par with NWN, with 69 consecutive years of dividend increases and a 2.94% yield. The payout ratio is a healthy and sustainable 55%.
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