Investors love dividend stocks because they provide dependable passive income streams and an excellent opportunity for solid total return. Total return includes interest, capital gains, dividends, and distributions realized over time. In other words, the total return on an investment or portfolio consists of income and stock appreciation. At 24/7 Wall St., we have focused on dividend stocks for over 15 years because, despite the stock market’s ups and downs, many people need reliable passive income streams to supplement their income from employment or other sources such as Social Security and pensions.
Investors seeking defensive companies that pay substantial dividends are drawn to the Dividend Aristocrats, and with good reason. The 69 companies that made the cut for the 2026 S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats list have increased their dividends (not just maintained them) for 25 consecutive years. But the requirements go even further, with the following attributes also mandatory for membership on the Aristocrats list:
- Companies must be worth at least $3 billion for each quarterly rebalancing.
- Their average daily volume must be at least $5 million in transactions for every trailing three-month period at every quarterly rebalancing date.
- They must be S&P 500 members.
With earnings for the second quarter all but over, we decided to screen the Dividend Aristocrats for the companies that posted better-than-expected results and also offered solid forward guidance for the rest of the year. Five top companies hit our screens and look like outstanding ideas for growth and income investors looking to shift their portfolios away from high-beta stocks to more conservative ideas that pay reliable dividends. All five are rated Buy by the top Wall Street firms we cover, and all offer solid entry points.
Why Do We Cover the Dividend Aristocrats?
S&P 500 companies that have paid and raised their dividends for 25 years or longer are the types that growth and income investors want to buy and hold in their stock portfolios for the long term. These stocks are mostly conservative, and should we see a dramatic market correction, they will likely keep their ground much better than volatile technology names.
American States Water
When you have products that everyone depends on and pay a very reliable 2.30% dividend that you have raised for 70 years, your investors will likely do well. American States Water (NYSE: AWR) is a holding company with segments in water, electric, and contracted services. The company crushed Q2 expectations, reporting earnings of $1.09 per share. The solid print allowed the company to increase the quarterly dividend by 8%.
Within the segments, the company has three principal business units: water and electric service utility operations conducted through its regulated utilities, Golden State Water Company (GSWC) and Bear Valley Electric Service (BVES), respectively, and contracted services conducted through American States Utility Services (ASUS) and its subsidiaries.
- GSWC is a public water utility engaged in the purchase, production, distribution, and sale of water in 11 counties in the state of California, and provides wastewater collection and treatment services.
- BVES is a public electric utility that distributes electricity in several San Bernardino County Mountain communities in California.
- ASUS operates, maintains, and performs construction activities (including renewal and replacement capital work) on water and/or wastewater systems at various United States military bases.
Weiss Ratings has a Buy rating but no target price.
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO | KO Price Prediction) is an American multinational corporation founded in 1892. This company remains a top long-time holding of Warren Buffett, whose 400 million shares are 9.3% of the float and 9.9% of the portfolio. The stock pays a dependable 2.41% dividend.
The company posted strong results, reporting $13.37 billion in revenue and $0.97 in comparable EPS, beating consensus estimates and raising its full-year earnings growth forecast to 8% to 9%.
Coca-Cola is the world’s largest beverage company, offering consumers more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands, the company’s portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands, including:
- Diet Coke
- Coca-Cola Light
- Coca-Cola Zero Sugar
- Caffeine-free Diet Coke
- Cherry Coke
- Fanta Orange
- Fanta Zero Orange
- Fanta Zero Sugar
- Fanta Apple
- Sprite
- Sprite Zero Sugar
- Simply Orange
- Simply Apple
- Simply Grapefruit
- Fresca
- Schweppes
- Dasani
- Fuze Tea
- Glacéau Smartwater
- Glacéau Vitaminwater
- Gold Peak
- Ice Dew
- Powerade
- Topo Chico
- Minute Maid
Globally, it is the top provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, juices, and juice drinks. Through the world’s most extensive beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the company’s beverages at a rate of over 1.9 billion servings per day. And remember that the company owns 19.5% of Monster Beverage (NASDAQ: MNST), which continues to deliver strong financial results.
UBS has a Buy rating with a $104 target price.
Dover
While somewhat off the radar, this company has increased the 1% dividend for an incredible 70 consecutive years. Dover (NYSE: DOV) is a diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider operating in five primary segments. The company posted strong quarterly results, with adjusted EPS climbing 12% to $2.74. This growth was fueled by a 7% rise in total revenue, including 5% from organic operations. Year over year, bookings surged 16%, pushing the book-to-bill ratio to a solid 1.06, largely thanks to robust demand across the data center, biopharma, and aerospace sectors. On the strength of this performance, Dover raised its full-year guidance for both organic revenue and adjusted earnings.
Its five operating segments are:
- The Engineered Products segment provides a range of equipment, components, software, solutions, and services to the vehicle aftermarket, aerospace, defense, and other industries.
- Its Clean Energy & Fueling segment provides components, equipment, and software solutions and services. It also designs, manufactures, and supplies vacuum-insulated piping systems for various liquefied gases, including nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other industrial gases.
- The company’s Imaging & Identification segment supplies precision marking and coding, product traceability, brand protection, and digital textile printing equipment.
- The Pumps & Process Solutions segment manufactures specialty pumps and flow meters, fluid transfer connectors, engineered precision components, instruments, and digital controls.
- Dover’s Climate & Sustainability Technologies segment is a provider of energy-efficient equipment, components, and parts.
Baird has an Outperform rating with a $270 target price.
Federal Realty Investment Trust
Founded in 1962, Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE: FRT) has a mission to deliver long-term, sustainable growth through investing in densely populated, affluent communities. While real estate has slowly recovered, demand is still growing, and hard assets are generally considered a prudent investment in times of inflation; this company pays a hefty 3.81% dividend. Federal Realty is a recognized leader in the ownership, operation, and redevelopment of high-quality retail-based properties in major coastal markets from the District of Columbia and Boston to San Francisco and Los Angeles.
The company outperformed expectations, posting a strong 96% occupancy rate across its retail portfolio in the second quarter. Consistent growth in rental income underpinned its 59th consecutive annual dividend increase, a milestone that underscores the stability of its business. Its expertise includes creating urban, mixed-use neighborhoods like:
- Santana Row in San Jose, California
- Pike & Rose in North Bethesda, Maryland
- Assembly Row in Somerville, Massachusetts
Federal Realty’s portfolio comprises approximately 3,500 tenants across 27 million square feet of space and 3,100 residential units. Federal Realty has increased its quarterly dividend to its shareholders for 59 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry.
Piper Sandler has an Overweight rating with a $149 target price.
Stanley Black & Decker
Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK) is the world’s largest tool company, with 50 manufacturing facilities in the United States and more than 100 worldwide, and its shares trade at 17.7 times forward earnings. With the potential for the economy to slow down somewhat, consumers are likely to repair rather than buy new, and this legendary stock is a solid idea now, while yielding a dependable 3.19% dividend. The company provides hand tools, power tools, outdoor products, and related accessories in North and South America, Europe, and Asia.
The company reported solid Q2 2026 financial results, delivering a big earnings beat as adjusted EPS climbed to $1.57, significantly beating Wall Street consensus expectations of $1.21.
Its Tools & Outdoor segment offers professional-grade corded and cordless electric power tools and equipment, including:
- Drills
- Impact wrenches and drivers
- Grinders, saws, routers, and sanders
- Pneumatic tools and fasteners, such as nail guns, nails, staplers and staples, and concrete and masonry anchors; corded and cordless electric power tools
- Hand-held vacuums, paint tools, and cleaning appliances
- Leveling and layout tools, planes, hammers, demolition tools, clamps, vises, knives, saws, chisels, and industrial and automotive tools
- Drill, screwdriver, router bits, abrasives, saw blades, and threading products
- Toolboxes, sawhorses, medical cabinets, and engineered storage solutions
- Electric and gas-powered lawn and garden products
This segment sells its products under such brand names as:
- DeWalt
- Craftsman
- Black+Decker
- Stanley
- Flex Volt
- Irwin
- Lenox
The Industrial segment provides:
- Threaded fasteners, blind rivets and tools, blind inserts and tools
- Drawn arc weld studs and systems
- Engineered plastic and mechanical fasteners
- Self-piercing riveting systems
- Precision nut running systems
- Micro fasteners
- High-strength structural fasteners
- Axle swage, latches, heat shields, pins, couplings, fittings, and other engineered products
- Attachments used on excavators and handheld tools
The Industrial segment sells its products through a direct sales force and third-party distributors to various industries, including automotive, manufacturing, electronics, construction, aerospace, and others.
Citigroup has a Buy rating on the shares and a $107 target price.
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