Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway Own 2 Dividend Kings That Will Never Be Sold
Warren Buffett attended the May 2, 2026, annual meeting as an audience member for the first time in 60 years, signaling a total hand-off of daily operations to his successor, Greg Abel. Abel recently broke Buffett’s 13-quarter selling streak with…
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Warren Buffett attended the May 2, 2026, annual meeting as an audience member for the first time in 60 years, signaling a total hand-off of daily operations to his successor, Greg Abel. Abel recently broke Buffett’s 13-quarter selling streak with a significant $16 billion purchase in Q1 2026, showing a shift toward offensive capital deployment. Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B) now sits on a record-breaking cash pile of $397 billion. Despite the leadership transition, the portfolio remains highly concentrated, with five stocks making up roughly 75% of its total equity value. It is a solid bet that two Dividend Kings in the portfolio will remain permanent fixtures.
Long-time investors and Buffett mavens know his favorite holding period is “forever.” With U.S. inflation tracking near 3.9% in May 2026, these high-quality companies provide essential pricing power and volatility protection. While the VIX hovers around 19.0, the stable balance sheets of these Dividend Kings act as a flight to safety for Berkshire’s capital.
Two stocks in the Berkshire Hathaway portfolio are members of the exclusive Dividend Kings club, which consists of companies that have raised their dividends for at least 50 years. These are “must-have” items for investors seeking passive income. Unlike Dividend Aristocrats, Dividend Kings do not need to be members of the S&P 500.
Here are the two Dividend Kings Buffett owns that will likely never be sold.
Coca-Cola
This American multinational corporation remains a top holding for Berkshire. In May 2026, Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO | KO Price Prediction) raised its dividend for the 64th consecutive year to $0.53 per share. The company reported a Q1 2026 earnings beat on May 7, with $12.47 billion in sales, proving its resilience against global inflationary pressures.
Coca-Cola is the world’s largest beverage company, featuring 20 billion-dollar brands including:
- Diet Coke
- Coca-Cola Zero Sugar
- Fanta
- Sprite
- Simply Orange
- Dasani
- Topo Chico
- Minute Maid
Globally, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the company’s beverages at a rate of over 1.9 billion servings per day. The company’s 19.5% stake in Monster Beverage (NASDAQ: MNST) continues to deliver strong results. TD Cowen maintains a Buy rating with a $90 target price.
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) remains a diversified healthcare giant specializing in pharmaceuticals and medical devices. On April 14, 2026, the company declared a new dividend of $1.34 per share, marking its 63rd year of increases and providing a yield of approximately 2.4%.
Johnson & Johnson carries a payout ratio of just 47%, offering a healthy cushion for continued growth. The Innovative Medicine segment focuses on immunology, oncology, and neuroscience, while the MedTech segment leads in surgery and cardiovascular intervention. HSBC currently has a Buy rating with a $265 target price.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated in May 2026 to reflect Berkshire Hathaway’s record $397 billion cash position and the leadership transition following the May 2 annual meeting. We have also updated the dividend data for Coca-Cola and Johnson & Johnson to include their 2026 dividend increases and most recent quarterly earnings performance.
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Lee Jackson has covered Wall Street analysts' equity and debt research and equity strategy daily for 24/7 Wall St. since 2012. His broad, diverse career, including a stint as creative services director at an NBC affiliate in Austin, Texas, gives him unique insight into the financial industry.
Lee Jackson's journey in the financial industry spans more than 30 years, including nearly two decades as an institutional equity salesperson at Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, and Morgan Stanley. His career spanned pivotal sell-side Wall Street events, from the dot-com rise and bubble to the Long-Term Capital Management debacle, 9/11, and the Great Recession of 2008. This reflects his resilience and adaptability amid market volatility.
Lee Jackson’s practical financial industry experience, gained through a career at some of the biggest banks and brokerage firms, is complemented by a lifetime of writing across various platforms. This unique combination allows him to shed light on the intricacies of Wall Street in a way only someone with deep insider experience and knowledge can. Moreover, his extensive network across Wall Street continues to provide direct access for him and 24/7 Wall St., a privilege few firms enjoy.
Since 2012, Jackson’s work for 24/7 Wall St. has been featured in Barron’s, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, Business Insider, TradingView, Real Money, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Benzinga, and other media outlets. He attended the prestigious Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and has a degree in broadcasting from the Specs Howard School of Media Arts.
