A list of current — and potential future — Dividend Kings and learn how to leverage these strong companies to build wealth.

By Matthew DiLallo – Updated Jun 3, 2026 at 3:11 PM EST | Fact-checked by Parker Hicks

Key Points

• Dividend Kings have raised their dividends for 50+ years, indicating stable, mature companies.
• Key traits of Dividend Kings include durable moats, EPS growth, and a profit-return focus.
• 57 stocks were Dividend Kings in 2026, with sectors like industrial and consumer goods dominating the list.

A Dividend King is a company that’s grown its dividend payment for at least 50 consecutive years. Many Dividend Kings have delivered market-crushing wealth gains over the very long term, but not all continue to deliver above-average total returns to shareholders.

Companies that pay — and then increase — their dividends every year generally have several important characteristics investors should look for:

• Durable competitive moats that help them generate steady profits year after year
• The ability to grow earnings per share over the long term
• Prudent board members and management who prioritize returning excess profits — those not needed to support the long-term growth of the business — to shareholders

What is a Dividend King?

There’s a single qualification for becoming a member of the Dividend Kings. A stock must record at least 50 consecutive years of dividend raises.

These dividend stocks are usually mature businesses with stable cash flow and rising earnings. Management will typically protect the dividend and ensure it can continue to raise its payout every year. That can be good in most cases, but it can cause some irrational management decisions in others.

Dividend Kings vs. Dividend Aristocrats®

Many investors are familiar with the Dividend Aristocrats®. (The term Dividend Aristocrats® is a registered trademark of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services, LLC.) These stocks are members of the S&P 500 that have increased their dividends for at least 25 consecutive years.

Dividend Kings don’t have to be members of the S&P 500, but they’ve all increased their dividends for 50 years, at least twice as long as the Aristocrat threshold.

2026 Dividend Kings

These 57 stocks qualified as Dividend Kings as of June 3, 2026, including two that qualify depending on how you interpret dividend growth.

Dividend King	Sector	Dividend Increase Streak
American States Water (NYSE:AWR)	Utilities	71
Dover Corporation (NYSE:DOV)	Industrials	70
Northwest Natural Holdings (NYSE:NWN)	Utilities	70
Genuine Parts (NYSE:GPC)	Consumer Goods	70
Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG)	Consumer Goods	70
Parker-Hannifin (NYSE:PH)	Industrials	70
Emerson Electric (NYSE:EMR)	Industrials	69
Cincinnati Financial (NASDAQ:CINF)	Financials	66
Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO)	Consumer Goods	64
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)	Healthcare	64
Kenvue (NYSE:KVUE)	Consumer Goods	63*
Marzetti (NASDAQ:MZTI)	Consumer Goods	63
Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL)	Consumer Goods	63
Nordson (NASDAQ:NDSN)	Industrials	62
Illinois Tool Works (NYSE:ITW)	Industrials	62
Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (OTC:FMCB)	Financials	61
Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL)	Consumer Goods	60
California Water Service Group (NYSE:CWT)	Utilities	60
Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE:FRT)	Real Estate	58
Tootsie Roll Industries (NYSE:TR)	Consumer Goods	58**
Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE:SWK)	Industrials	58
ABM Industries (NYSE:ABM)	Industrials	58
Stepan (NYSE:SCL)	Industrials	58
Commerce Bancshares (NASDAQ:CBSH)	Financials	58
H2O America (NASDAQ:HTO)	Utilities	58
H.B. Fuller (NYSE:FUL)	Materials	57
Altria Group (NYSE:MO)	Consumer Goods	56
Black Hills Corp. (NYSE:BKH)	Utilities	56
MSA Safety (NYSE:MSA)	Industrials	56
Sysco (NYSE:SYY)	Consumer Goods	56
Universal Corporation (NYSE:UVV)	Consumer Goods	56
National Fuel Gas (NYSE:NFG)	Energy	55
W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW)	Industrials	55
Lowe’s (NYSE:LOW)	Consumer Goods	54
Target (NYSE:TGT)	Consumer Goods	54
Abbott (NYSE:ABT)	Healthcare	54
BD (NYSE:BDX)	Healthcare	54
Tennant (NYSE:TNC)	Industrials	54
AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV)	Healthcare	54****
Canadian Utilities (OTC:CDUAF)	Utilities	54***
Kimberly-Clark (NASDAQ:KMB)	Consumer Goods	54
PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG)	Industrials	54
PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP)	Consumer Goods	54
ADM (NYSE:ADM)	Industrials	53
Middlesex Water (NASDAQ:MSEX)	Utilities	53
The Gorman-Rupp Company (NYSE:GRC)	Industrials	53
Nucor (NYSE:NUE)	Industrials	53
Walmart (NASDAQ:WMT)	Consumer Goods	53
S&P Global (NYSE:SPGI)	Financials	53
Consolidated Edison (NYSE:ED)	Utilities	52
RPM International (NYSE:RPM)	Industrials	52
United Bankshares (NASDAQ:UBSI)	Financials	52
Fortis (NYSE:FTS)	Utilities	51
Automatic Data Processing (NASDAQ:ADP)	Technology	51
RLI Corp. (NYSE:RLI)	Financials	51
MGE Energy (NASDAQ:MGEE)	Utilities	50
Pentair (NYSE:PNR)	Industrials	50

The industrial and consumer goods sectors make up more than half of the 2026 Dividend Kings list. This shouldn’t be a surprise. Companies in these sectors tend to pay dividends and raise their prices with inflation, and many have also been in operation for a long time. The list breaks down as follows:

There aren’t any exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that focus exclusively on Dividend Kings. However, the ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats® ETF (NOBL +1.79%) owns shares of all Dividend Aristocrats®.

Dividend King changes in 2026

Companies that make this list don’t often lose their status; the qualities that make a company strong enough to last 50 years with annual dividend increases are usually very durable. Plus, there’s tremendous pressure on companies that have increased their dividends for 50-plus years to keep the streak going. No CEO wants to be known as the leader who messed up such an impressive dividend track record.

Industrial water treatment solutions and equipment maker Pentair (PNR +2.56%) joined the club after making its 50th consecutive annual dividend increase in February 2026.

A note on two unofficial Dividend Kings

Canadian Utilities (CDUAF +0.91%) and Tootsie Roll (TR +1.66%) are on this list, but for slightly different reasons. Some investors may argue that they make the cut on a technicality or two.

Canadian Utilities is certainly a King if you’re a Canadian investor; however, changes in foreign exchange rates have at times reduced the effective dividend paid to U.S. investors. We don’t want to shortchange the company or our Canadian investor friends because of this. The dividends per share — in Canadian dollars — have indeed increased for 54 years in a row.

Tootsie Roll is a little more complex. To start, the company has a long history of paying dividends, but the $0.09 quarterly cash portion has remained unchanged for years.

Its payout has grown via the 3% stock dividend it has also paid every year for the past six decades. So, as long as the stock price increases, the total dividends paid grow. We thought this quirk was worth explaining in detail. It can be argued that maybe it isn’t a King but is worthy of consideration as a sweet treat for dividend investors.

Future Dividend Kings

Several large, well-known companies are on track to join the Dividend Kings list in the next year. Carlisle Companies (CSL +2.84%) announced its 49th year of consecutive dividend hikes in August 2025, and McDonald’s (MCD +1.61%) also marked its 49th consecutive hike in October 2025. Medtronic (MDT +1.60%) just raised its dividend for the 49th consecutive year in June 2026. It appears poised to join the group in 2027.

Pros and cons of investing in Dividend Kings

Here are some of the reasons investors should consider Dividend Kings:

• Proven businesses across many economic cycles.
• History of adapting to disruption and new markets.
• Track record of earnings growth that funds higher dividends.
• Often lower volatility, making it easier to hold through market downturns.

There are also reasons to be cautious:

• Like other dividend stocks, future dividend growth is not guaranteed.
• Many Dividend Kings have underperformed the total returns of the stock market despite dividend growth.
• Sometimes, management may fail to fix (or just ignore) ongoing issues and keep raising payouts, resulting in big losses and forced dividend cuts, as seen with 3M (MMM +1.65%) and Walgreens in recent years.

Factors to consider when choosing Dividend Kings

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a Dividend King to buy is its financial health.

Be sure the dividend is supported by strong free cash flow that exceeds the total dividend payment. Steady, growing earnings per share and a solid balance sheet are also important factors that help ensure management can continue to raise its dividend.

Beyond the current earnings profile, does the business have competitive advantages that will protect it in economic downturns? Is the industry it operates in growing or declining?

On top of that, investors will want to assess a Dividend King just as they would any other stock. Most Dividend Kings are slow growers; like value stocks, it makes sense to ensure the stock trades for an attractive valuation.

How to invest in Dividend Kings

1. Open your brokerage app: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments.
2. Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock’s trading page.
3. Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
4. Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you’re willing to pay.
5. Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
6. Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.

Why invest in Dividend Kings?

Dividend Kings may not be a good fit for every investor, but their long records of growing payouts are often underpinned by good businesses worth owning. A few key reasons:

• Dividend Kings can be a great part of retirement portfolios or for investors looking for reliable income.
• Most offer higher dividend yields than the average yield of S&P 500 members.
• Their consistency in paying and increasing dividend payouts can also provide a measure of confidence for people living on the income generated by the dividend stocks they own.

My 2 Favourite Stocks for Monthly Passive Income

These two monthly dividend stocks could help investors build a steadier stream of passive income.

Posted by Jitendra Parashar

Published June 9

CAR.UN PEY

_{You’re reading a Fool.ca free article. Go to your Premium Motley Fool experience to see member-only content.}Key Points

• Monthly dividend stocks could help investors turn a portfolio into a steadier passive-income source.
• Canadian Apartment Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (TSX:CAR.UN) offers monthly income backed by a large rental-housing portfolio.
• Peyto Exploration & Development (TSX:PEY) pairs a 5.6% yield with strong production growth and disciplined hedging.

Monthly dividend stocks could be really useful for Foolish investors who want their portfolios to feel more like a steady income source than a long-term savings bucket. More frequent cash distributions increase their appeal, making it easier to plan, reinvest, or gradually build a more reliable passive-income stream, instead of waiting for quarterly payouts.

However, that does not mean you can jump on any monthly payer without paying attention to its business fundamentals. They still need to have durable business models, manageable payout profiles, and enough growth potential to support income in the long haul.

Let me highlight two of my favourite TSX stocks I like for investors seeking monthly passive income.

Canadian Apartment Properties REIT stock

For investors who want monthly income tied to an essential real estate niche, Canadian Apartment Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (TSX:CAR.UN) could be a natural place to start. This real estate investment trust (REIT) owns and manages roughly 45,500 residential apartment suites and townhomes across Canada and the Netherlands, giving it a large rental-housing platform with geographic diversification.

The company focuses on maximizing occupancy and responsibly growing occupied average monthly rent (AMR), which has helped support its operating performance. In the March 2026 quarter, Canadian Apartment Properties REIT’s operating revenues were $247.9 million, while its net operating income (NOI) came in at $155 million, down 1.9% year-over-year (YoY). Even so, its same-property NOI rose 2% YoY to $146.3 million, pointing to stable underlying demand across its portfolio.

The REIT also completed the privatization of European Residential REIT (ERES) for $98.7 million, acquiring the publicly held units it did not already own. That move gives it more control over its European assets and the timing of future portfolio decisions.

Moreover, Canadian Apartment Properties REIT remains focused on upgrading the quality and diversification of its property portfolio through repositioning and capital recycling. With a 4.5% dividend yield and monthly distributions, Canadian Apartment Properties REIT offers investors a practical mix of recurring income and long-term rental-housing exposure.Zoom1M3M6MYTD1Y5Y10YALL

Peyto Exploration & Development stock

The second stock brings a very different kind of monthly income stream to investors. Peyto Exploration & Development (TSX:PEY) gives investors exposure to Alberta natural gas, oil, and natural gas liquids production, along with a dividend yield that is notably higher than that of many large-cap income stocks.

At the time of writing, PEY stock traded at $25.22 per share with a market cap of $5.2 billion. The stock has climbed 31% over the last year while offering a 5.6% dividend yield, making it an appealing option for income investors comfortable with the natural volatility of the energy sector.

Peyto recently posted record first-quarter results, with its production averaging 147,513 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d), up 10% YoY. Similarly, its funds from operations jumped 20% sequentially to $293 million.

The company’s hedging strategy remains an important part of its plan. Peyto’s mechanistic hedging program secured $715 million in revenue for April–December 2026 and $510 million for 2027, helping reduce some of the uncertainty that could come with commodity price volatility.

More importantly, Peyto plans to invest $450–$500 million in 2026 to add 43,000–48,000 boe/d of new production by year-end. It also expects to operate four to five rigs for the remainder of the year, with a focus on liquid-rich opportunities in the Cardium and Falher formations.

Foolish takeaway

Together, Canadian Apartment Properties REIT and Peyto offer two very different paths to monthly passive income. One is backed by rental housing and recurring real estate cash flow, while the other offers higher income potential from a disciplined energy producer. For investors building a TSX portfolio focused on consistent cash flow, both monthly dividend stocks deserve a closer look today.

Mike Toney-Hoffman: I’m definitely an investor. I’m both for sure. I think I would actually say more of my money is in investing because I’ve always been in or more of my money is just sitting in long-term investments.

I have a lot of ETFs, just invest in the S&P. I’m still a dividend investor. I still invest in dividend growth ETFs. And those are just sitting there. And then my trading portfolio, the goal of that is just to beat those essentially and just diversify to an extent.

I’ve always been big on diversity to an extent. And so that’s why I’m a big ETF guy. It does the diversity for you and generally goes up over time. And then you gotta take it a step, I take it a step further and diversify even away from just passive investing, which may or may not be doing good every year and try to build out my own strategies that, ideally I’ll perform, I track, I have a trading journal that I track everything in and I compare myself to the SPY, the S&P 500, the (QQQ) and not only is the goal to of course beat the index, but it’s to diversify away from the index as well. Cause all the time, I think my ETF portfolios will be down, my trading portfolio is up and vice versa. So you gotta hedge your bets every way and just build out your system.

ai cost aicost.orgx jtpr2e@outlook.com 23.158.72.51

Interesting to see someone making active adjustments to their passive income strategy. I’ve been debating whether to rebalance my own dividend portfolio lately, especially with the current market volatility. Do you find that switching positions frequently affects your long-term yield?

When I switch a position, hopefully the position has made a profit and the capital and the profit can be re-invested into the SNOWBALL. If the price rises the yield falls but unless it’s for portfolio diversification the SNOWBALL only re-invests in a higher yielder.

The recent purchase of AIRE was at a lower yield but still above the required 7% yield, why 7% ? Because by doing nothing your can double your income in ten years, better if you have longer. Also with AIRE there is a chance of corporate action, if not the SNOWBALL will keep re-investing the dividends, also AIRE has real assets. REIT’s are liable to lose money when interest rates rise, so the ‘safe’ yield is very important.

I sometimes buy just before the xd date because, you can either flip the share or hold and receive 5 dividends in just over one calendar year.

The SNOWBALL has 12k invested in XSTR, ready cash if the market falls, it only yields 4% but as the SNOWBALL is ahead of target for this year, I can afford the hit to income. If the market doesn’t fall I will have to re-invest in a higher yielder before xmas as I need the higher income to achieve next year’s target, which hasn’t been set yet.

Remember a profit is not a profit until the underlying share has been sold and the cash is sitting in your account.

GL

The last 4 dividends = 42p.

Current price 457p = yield of 9%

If you had bought at the April 2025 low, there was plenty of chances to buy at 360p

Price 360p = yield of 11.5%, which hopefully you should receive as long as you hold the share. Remember you are not buying the price, because without hindsight, at the time you had now way of knowing if the price was going to keep falling but you say thank you to Mr. Market as you are only buying the yield.

Higher risk to buy at the moment but the market could continue up before if falls.

ETF’s with dividends re-invested

We have some exciting news to share! The Motley Fool UK has now become The Twelfth Magpie — an independent, UK-owned company, led by our long-serving UK management team — Mark Rogers, Chris Nials and Heather Adlington. In practical terms, it’s the same team you know, now fully focused on serving our UK readers and members.

Just as importantly, our approach remains unchanged: long-term, jargon-free, and on your side. This site is our new home, and there will be extra tweaks made across the coming few days as we settle in. So if anything looks a little off, please bear with us!

INCU UKRE WINC

 How can these 3 iShares ETFs keep delivering huge dividends? Here’s your answer!

How can these 3 iShares ETFs keep delivering huge dividends? Here’s your answer!

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can provide a reliable and large passive income over time. Royston Wild explains how — and picks three top ones to consider.

Posted by Royston Wild

Published 7 June

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Twelfth Magpie’s Premium Investing Services.

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can be powerful weapons if you’re seeking a dependable passive income. Creating a diversified portfolio that can protect dividends from temporary shocks is essential. An ETF can help investors achieve this simply and effectively.

Dividends are never guaranteed, even from these types of funds. But their diversified approach — with holdings that can be spread across different sectors, regions, share types, and even asset classes — can greatly reduce this risk.

But which ETFs should you buy to target a long-term passive income? Here are three top ones to consider from iShares.

REITs

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) can be among the most reliable dividend sources out there. One reason is their focus on property shares, which generate a steady stream of rental income that can be distributed.

But these particular stocks have a trick up their sleeves. Unlike other real estate businesses, these firms are obligated to pay at least 90% of annual rental earnings in dividends. That’s in exchange for tax breaks.

Please note that tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in future. The content in this article is provided for information purposes only. It is not intended to be, neither does it constitute, any form of tax advice.

Shareholder payouts can be still volatile during economic downturns, however, when tenants might miss rent payments. The iShares MSCI Target UK Real Estate ETF (LSE:UKRE) spreads this risk out. How? It invests in 25 different REITs.

That’s not all. The trusts it holds are spread across a variety of cyclical and non-cyclical industries. The result? It offers a blend of stability and the potential for strong income growth. Its dividend yield today is 6.3%.

Shares, bonds, and cash

The iShares World Equity High Income UCITS ETF (LSE:WINC) doesn’t focus on ultra-reliable property stocks. But it offers stability in other ways, namely by enjoying exposure to dozens of global dividend-paying shares.

This can sometimes deliver even greater resilience. In its own words, the fund’s objective is

To generate income and capital growth with lower volatility than developed market equities.

In total, this ETF has holdings in more than 500 dividend-paying shares. On the downside, it’s not immune to stock market downturns that can see it fall in value. However, its exposure to cash and US government bonds cuts this risk and improves dividend visibility.

The dividend yield here is 9.7%.

Another stock ETF to consider?

The iShares US Equity High Income Active (LSE:INCU) has more regional concentration than global funds. That’s the bad news.

The good news? Its portfolio is still brilliantly diversified to generate a large and reliable passive income. The more than 300 companies it holds span sectors as diverse as information technology, healthcare, banks, and consumer goods. Some of the fund’s capital is also tied up in cash for extra resilience.

Furthermore, though it focuses on US stock market shares, almost all the companies are multinational businesses. The fund may fall if broader appetite for Wall Street shares dips. But this is less likely to hit dividends.

The forward dividend yield with this ETF is 8.5%.

Thursday 11 June

3i Infrastructure PLC ex-dividend date
Capital Gearing Trust PLC ex-dividend date
CT UK Capital & Income Investment Trust PLC ex-dividend date
Henderson High Income Trust PLC ex-dividend date
JPMorgan US Smaller Cos Investment Trust PLC ex-dividend date
Mercantile Investment Trust PLC ex-dividend date
Pacific Assets Trust PLC ex-dividend date
Schroder Real Estate Investment Trust Ltd ex-dividend date
Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust PLC ex-dividend date
Worldwide Healthcare Trust PLC ex-dividend date

There is £1,056 for re-investment, 1k to buy more shares in AIRE for it’s yield as it’s currently unloved by Mr. Market.

Investor Edition 

Fund Profile

Invesco Bond Income Plus (BIPS)26 May 2026

Disclaimer

Disclosure – Non-Independent Marketing Communication

This is a non-independent marketing communication commissioned by Invesco Bond Income Plus (BIPS). The report has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and is not subject to any prohibition on the dealing ahead of the dissemination of investment research.

BIPS continues to issue new shares for its high-yielding portfolio.

Overview

Invesco Bond Income Plus (BIPS) is managed by Rhys Davies who aims to deliver a significant yield pick up over gilts and cash without taking imprudent risks. Rhys invests in the high yield bond space, and will delve into subordinated bank debt and other corners of the market, but always with a keen eye on valuation to ensure he isn’t taking excessive credit risk to deliver the income. BIPS yields 7.1% at the time of writing, and has raised its dividend for five consecutive years despite the manager being cautiously positioned for most of this period .

Rhys continues to view the market overall as quite expensive, leading to the continued defensive positioning. He has a relatively high proportion of the fund in investment-grade debt rather than high yield, and has let Gearing fall to slightly below the usual 10-15% range. Nonetheless, the dividend target for 2026 has been held at the same level as last year. The trust has healthy revenue reserves, and Rhys is confident of hitting this target from current year income anyway, despite his defensive positioning.

BIPS has continued to see strong demand for its shares, even during the volatility surrounding the outbreak of war in the Gulf. It has traded on a premium for most of the past three years, and issued large amounts of new shares, including a placing and retail offer in February. At the time of writing, the premium was 1.8%. BIPS is the largest trust in the AIC Debt – Loans & Bonds sector, and this helps it offer the lowest charges by some distance.

Analyst’s View

We think BIPS should have strong appeal for the typical investor looking for an income. The yield is significantly higher than that on offer from gilts or cash, but the prudent approach to risk should limit the volatility in the value of the portfolio and help preserve the real value of the capital. The trust has held or raised its dividend each year for over a decade, and with healthy revenue reserves is in a strong position to continue this record. When we do eventually see a sell-off in credit markets, which tends to occur when equity markets sell off too, Rhys will be in a strong position to recycle some lower-risk positions into higher-yielding credits and boost the income once more. BIPS’ size brings low charges and liquidity in the shares, which helps make it an easy option for investors seeking a higher yield.

In the short term, the war in the Gulf has led to the market expecting modest rate hikes in the UK over the coming months. This would hit bonds’ capital value, but on the other hand would mean higher yields should be available in the market. BIPS is positioned to take advantage if this happens, with a defensively positioned portfolio which should limit the hit to the NAV and allow Rhys to add to higher yielding investments. We would add that one of its strengths is the geographical diversification into Europe and the US which means it is not overly sensitive to UK policy or indeed the health of the UK economy. With the UK looking exposed to energy prices and enjoying some Italian-style politics, although sadly not the weather or the ice cream, this is another defensive feature we find attractive at this point in time.

Bull

• Experienced and well-resourced team with international presence
• Risk-conscious approach could provide stability through tougher markets
• Attractive yield on offer with high average credit rating

Bear

• Gearing also magnifies losses in falling markets as well as gains in rising markets
• Income would come under pressure with any sustained fall in market yields (as it would for peers)
• Duration would lead to losses if rates were hiked