QQQ   432.79 (+0.19%)
AAPL   188.32 (-0.58%)
MSFT   414.11 (+0.01%)
META   470.00 (+0.09%)
GOOGL   145.91 (+0.25%)
AMZN   169.84 (-0.40%)
TSLA   189.56 (+1.06%)
NVDA   696.41 (-0.65%)
NIO   5.82 (-0.68%)
AMD   169.35 (-0.93%)
BABA   70.74 (-3.94%)
T   16.82 (-2.94%)
F   12.83 (+0.23%)
MU   84.88 (-0.34%)
CGC   4.11 (-4.86%)
GE   139.07 (+0.41%)
DIS   110.54 (+11.50%)
AMC   4.09 (+3.81%)
PFE   27.56 (+0.00%)
PYPL   56.13 (-11.24%)
XOM   103.97 (+1.71%)
QQQ   432.79 (+0.19%)
AAPL   188.32 (-0.58%)
MSFT   414.11 (+0.01%)
META   470.00 (+0.09%)
GOOGL   145.91 (+0.25%)
AMZN   169.84 (-0.40%)
TSLA   189.56 (+1.06%)
NVDA   696.41 (-0.65%)
NIO   5.82 (-0.68%)
AMD   169.35 (-0.93%)
BABA   70.74 (-3.94%)
T   16.82 (-2.94%)
F   12.83 (+0.23%)
MU   84.88 (-0.34%)
CGC   4.11 (-4.86%)
GE   139.07 (+0.41%)
DIS   110.54 (+11.50%)
AMC   4.09 (+3.81%)
PFE   27.56 (+0.00%)
PYPL   56.13 (-11.24%)
XOM   103.97 (+1.71%)
QQQ   432.79 (+0.19%)
AAPL   188.32 (-0.58%)
MSFT   414.11 (+0.01%)
META   470.00 (+0.09%)
GOOGL   145.91 (+0.25%)
AMZN   169.84 (-0.40%)
TSLA   189.56 (+1.06%)
NVDA   696.41 (-0.65%)
NIO   5.82 (-0.68%)
AMD   169.35 (-0.93%)
BABA   70.74 (-3.94%)
T   16.82 (-2.94%)
F   12.83 (+0.23%)
MU   84.88 (-0.34%)
CGC   4.11 (-4.86%)
GE   139.07 (+0.41%)
DIS   110.54 (+11.50%)
AMC   4.09 (+3.81%)
PFE   27.56 (+0.00%)
PYPL   56.13 (-11.24%)
XOM   103.97 (+1.71%)
QQQ   432.79 (+0.19%)
AAPL   188.32 (-0.58%)
MSFT   414.11 (+0.01%)
META   470.00 (+0.09%)
GOOGL   145.91 (+0.25%)
AMZN   169.84 (-0.40%)
TSLA   189.56 (+1.06%)
NVDA   696.41 (-0.65%)
NIO   5.82 (-0.68%)
AMD   169.35 (-0.93%)
BABA   70.74 (-3.94%)
T   16.82 (-2.94%)
F   12.83 (+0.23%)
MU   84.88 (-0.34%)
CGC   4.11 (-4.86%)
GE   139.07 (+0.41%)
DIS   110.54 (+11.50%)
AMC   4.09 (+3.81%)
PFE   27.56 (+0.00%)
PYPL   56.13 (-11.24%)
XOM   103.97 (+1.71%)

Dividend Champions

The Dividend Champions list is a list of companies that have increased their dividends for at least the last 25 consecutive years. The list is maintained by Dave Fish and is published on his website, "DRIP Investing Resource Center". The list includes companies from a variety of industries, including consumer goods, healthcare, and utilities. The companies on the list are often considered to be financially stable and have a history of consistent dividend payments, making them attractive investments for income-focused investors.

Learn more about trading stocks based on dividends.

MarketRank™ evaluates a company based on dividend strength, earnings, valuation, analysts forecasts, and more.
Available with a MarketBeat All Access Subscription
MarketRank™Upgrade to All Access to use the All Ranks Filter
Media sentiment refers to the percentage of positive news stories versus negative news stories a company has received in the past week.
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Analyst consensus is the average investment recommendation among Wall Street research analysts.
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CompanyCurrent PriceDividend YieldAnnual PayoutPayout Ratio3-Year Dividend GrowthEx-Dividend DateIndicator(s)
1st Source Co. stock logo
SRCE
1st Source
$49.91
+0.7%
2.72%$1.3630.22% 4.78%N/A
3M stock logo
MMM
3M
$93.20
-0.7%
6.44%$6.0058.03% 0.68%2/15/2024Dividend Increase
Positive News
A. O. Smith Co. stock logo
AOS
A. O. Smith
$80.25
+0.5%
1.60%$1.2829.56% 7.57%N/AAnalyst Revision
Positive News
Abbott Laboratories stock logo
ABT
Abbott Laboratories
$112.43
-0.8%
1.96%$2.2042.72% 12.31%N/AAnalyst Revision
AbbVie Inc. stock logo
ABBV
AbbVie
$174.79
-0.1%
3.55%$6.2050.65% 7.84%N/AEarnings Report
Analyst Report
Analyst Revision
ABM Industries Incorporated stock logo
ABM
ABM Industries
$40.38
+0.3%
2.23%$0.9024.79% 5.95%N/A
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. stock logo
APD
Air Products and Chemicals
$219.91
+2.1%
3.18%$7.0049.12% 9.31%3/28/2024Earnings Report
Analyst Downgrade
Analyst Revision
News Coverage
Albemarle Co. stock logo
ALB
Albemarle
$114.33
-0.6%
1.40%$1.6014.01% 1.28%N/AUpcoming Earnings
Altria Group, Inc. stock logo
MO
Altria Group
$40.08
-0.4%
9.78%$3.9274.52% 4.14%N/AEarnings Report
Buyback Announcement
American States Water stock logo
AWR
American States Water
$75.07
+0.4%
2.29%$1.7252.28% 8.94%N/ADividend Announcement
News Coverage
Archer-Daniels-Midland Company stock logo
ADM
Archer-Daniels-Midland
$52.70
-0.3%
3.42%$1.8029.65% 7.72%N/AAnalyst Revision
Atmos Energy Co. stock logo
ATO
Atmos Energy
$112.93
+0.9%
2.85%$3.2245.80% 8.78%2/23/2024Earnings Report
Dividend Announcement
News Coverage
Automatic Data Processing, Inc. stock logo
ADP
Automatic Data Processing
$251.08
+0.3%
2.23%$5.6056.00% 12.06%3/7/2024Insider Selling
Analyst Revision
Badger Meter, Inc. stock logo
BMI
Badger Meter
$146.45
+2.3%
0.74%$1.0827.69% 12.25%N/APositive News
BancFirst Co. stock logo
BANF
BancFirst
$86.90
+0.1%
1.98%$1.7232.64% 7.94%N/APositive News
Bank OZK stock logo
OZK
Bank OZK
$42.28
+1.1%
3.60%$1.5224.76% 9.64%N/A
Becton, Dickinson and Company stock logo
BDX
Becton, Dickinson and Company
$240.71
+0.5%
1.58%$3.8026.48% 4.77%3/7/2024Earnings Report
Analyst Report
Brady Co. stock logo
BRC
Brady
$61.45
+0.9%
1.53%$0.9421.41% 1.97%N/A
Brown & Brown, Inc. stock logo
BRO
Brown & Brown
$79.94
+1.3%
0.65%$0.5214.02% 10.98%N/A
Brown-Forman Co. stock logo
BF.B
Brown-Forman
$56.93
-0.4%
1.53%$0.8750.29%N/A3/7/2024
California Water Service Group stock logo
CWT
California Water Service Group
$46.67
+0.9%
2.23%$1.0444.64% 6.96%2/9/2024News Coverage
Cambridge Bancorp stock logo
CATC
Cambridge Bancorp
$65.94
+1.7%
4.06%$2.6841.94% 8.13%N/A
Cardinal Health, Inc. stock logo
CAH
Cardinal Health
$102.74
-2.8%
1.95%$2.0025.28% 1.00%3/28/2024Earnings Report
Dividend Announcement
Analyst Report
Carlisle Companies Incorporated stock logo
CSL
Carlisle Companies
$342.68
+0.2%
0.99%$3.4016.73% 16.00%2/15/2024Earnings Report
Analyst Upgrade
Caterpillar Inc. stock logo
CAT
Caterpillar
$322.00
-0.5%
1.61%$5.2024.07% 6.67%N/AEarnings Report
Analyst Report
Insider Selling
Analyst Revision
Chevron Co. stock logo
CVX
Chevron
$154.06
+1.3%
3.92%$6.0443.11% 5.39%2/15/2024Earnings Report
Dividend Increase
Analyst Report
Chubb Limited stock logo
CB
Chubb
$244.34
-1.0%
1.41%$3.4414.55% 3.34%N/AAnalyst Report
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. stock logo
CHD
Church & Dwight
$99.94
-0.8%
1.09%$1.0929.70% 4.32%2/14/2024Earnings Report
Dividend Increase
Analyst Report
Insider Selling
News Coverage
Cincinnati Financial Co. stock logo
CINF
Cincinnati Financial
$107.60
+0.5%
2.79%$3.0044.38% 7.72%3/18/2024Earnings Report
Analyst Upgrade
Analyst Revision
News Coverage
Cintas Co. stock logo
CTAS
Cintas
$617.16
-0.7%
0.87%$5.4030.25% 12.52%2/14/2024Analyst Revision
Colgate-Palmolive stock logo
CL
Colgate-Palmolive
$84.26
+0.5%
2.28%$1.9250.39% 2.96%N/A
Commerce Bancshares, Inc. stock logo
CBSH
Commerce Bancshares
$50.47
-0.5%
2.14%$1.0831.86% 3.31%3/6/2024Dividend Announcement
Analyst Report
Insider Selling
News Coverage
Community Bank System, Inc. stock logo
CBU
Community Bank System
$44.01
+0.8%
4.09%$1.8052.17% 2.35%N/A
Community Trust Bancorp, Inc. stock logo
CTBI
Community Trust Bancorp
$39.54
+0.5%
4.65%$1.8443.40% 5.57%N/APositive News
Consolidated Edison, Inc. stock logo
ED
Consolidated Edison
$88.67
-0.9%
3.65%$3.2457.96% 1.92%2/13/2024Upcoming Earnings
Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. stock logo
CFR
Cullen/Frost Bankers
$101.76
+0.5%
3.62%$3.6844.07% 7.90%2/28/2024Analyst Report
Donaldson Company, Inc. stock logo
DCI
Donaldson
$67.05
+0.3%
1.49%$1.0028.41% 5.27%2/9/2024Analyst Upgrade
Dover Co. stock logo
DOV
Dover
$160.11
-0.2%
1.27%$2.0420.56% 1.01%N/AEarnings Report
Dividend Announcement
Analyst Upgrade
Analyst Revision
Ecolab Inc. stock logo
ECL
Ecolab
$202.89
-0.1%
1.12%$2.2832.20% 4.55%N/AUpcoming Earnings
Positive News
Emerson Electric Co. stock logo
EMR
Emerson Electric
$102.38
-1.6%
2.05%$2.1036.46% 1.31%2/15/2024Earnings Report
Dividend Announcement
Analyst Report
Options Volume
News Coverage
Enterprise Products Partners L.P. stock logo
EPD
Enterprise Products Partners
$26.25
7.85%$2.0673.57% 3.61%N/AEarnings Report
Analyst Report
Erie Indemnity stock logo
ERIE
Erie Indemnity
$350.18
+0.1%
1.46%$5.10N/A 7.24%N/A
Essex Property Trust, Inc. stock logo
ESS
Essex Property Trust
$229.34
+0.1%
4.03%$9.24149.76% 3.60%N/AAnalyst Report
News Coverage
Positive News
Eversource Energy stock logo
ES
Eversource Energy
$54.07
+0.5%
4.99%$2.7057.69% 5.95%3/4/2024Upcoming Earnings
Analyst Revision
Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. stock logo
EXPD
Expeditors International of Washington
$127.19
-0.3%
1.08%$1.38N/A 10.25%N/APositive News
Exxon Mobil Co. stock logo
XOM
Exxon Mobil
$103.97
+1.7%
3.65%$3.8039.71% 1.88%2/13/2024Earnings Report
Dividend Announcement
Analyst Report
FactSet Research Systems Inc. stock logo
FDS
FactSet Research Systems
$469.93
-2.7%
0.83%$3.9222.22% 8.12%2/28/2024Dividend Announcement
Fastenal stock logo
FAST
Fastenal
$69.26
-0.3%
2.25%$1.5666.95% 11.87%N/AInsider Selling
Analyst Revision
Federal Realty Investment Trust stock logo
FRT
Federal Realty Investment Trust
$102.06
+1.2%
4.27%$4.36139.30% 0.94%N/AUpcoming Earnings
Positive News
Franklin Electric Co., Inc. stock logo
FELE
Franklin Electric
$97.72
+1.1%
1.02%$1.0021.37% 13.23%N/AUpcoming Earnings
Positive News
Franklin Resources, Inc. stock logo
BEN
Franklin Resources
$26.83
+0.4%
4.62%$1.2442.91% -6.19%3/27/2024Dividend Announcement
General Dynamics Co. stock logo
GD
General Dynamics
$269.00
0.0%
1.96%$5.2832.31% 6.51%N/APositive News
Genuine Parts stock logo
GPC
Genuine Parts
$142.31
-0.3%
2.67%$3.8035.22% 6.34%N/AUpcoming Earnings
Positive News
Graco Inc. stock logo
GGG
Graco
$87.83
+0.6%
1.16%$1.0230.45% 10.33%N/AInsider Selling
Analyst Revision
H.B. Fuller stock logo
FUL
H.B. Fuller
$76.26
+0.1%
1.08%$0.8216.30% 7.53%N/AInsider Selling
Hormel Foods Co. stock logo
HRL
Hormel Foods
$29.47
-0.9%
3.83%$1.1368.48% 5.76%N/A
Illinois Tool Works Inc. stock logo
ITW
Illinois Tool Works
$254.51
+0.2%
2.20%$5.6051.42% 7.03%N/AEarnings Report
Analyst Report
Insider Selling
Analyst Revision
International Business Machines Co. stock logo
IBM
International Business Machines
$184.36
+1.2%
3.60%$6.6462.41% 0.61%2/8/2024
Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. stock logo
JKHY
Jack Henry & Associates
$174.05
+2.9%
1.20%$2.0836.88% 6.54%N/AEarnings Report
Analyst Report
News Coverage
Johnson & Johnson stock logo
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
$156.43
-1.0%
3.04%$4.7643.27% 5.70%2/16/2024Analyst Report
Kimberly-Clark Co. stock logo
KMB
Kimberly-Clark
$120.27
-0.7%
3.92%$4.7264.48% 3.32%3/7/2024
Lancaster Colony Co. stock logo
LANC
Lancaster Colony
$188.16
+0.3%
1.91%$3.6052.55% 6.58%N/A
Leggett & Platt, Incorporated stock logo
LEG
Leggett & Platt
$23.28
+0.6%
7.90%$1.84117.95% 4.39%N/AEarnings Report
News Coverage
Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc. stock logo
LECO
Lincoln Electric
$230.10
+1.4%
1.23%$2.8428.20% 9.93%N/AUpcoming Earnings
News Coverage
Lowe's Companies, Inc. stock logo
LOW
Lowe's Companies
$220.30
-0.6%
2.00%$4.4031.41% 24.10%N/APositive News
Matthews International Co. stock logo
MATW
Matthews International
$28.78
+2.7%
3.34%$0.9629.81% 3.25%N/AAnalyst Report
Analyst Revision
McCormick & Company, Incorporated stock logo
MKC
McCormick & Company, Incorporated
$65.82
+0.3%
2.55%$1.6855.45% 7.78%N/A
McDonald's Co. stock logo
MCD
McDonald's
$291.93
+1.6%
2.29%$6.6848.90% 7.32%N/AEarnings Report
Dividend Announcement
Analyst Report
Analyst Revision
McGrath RentCorp stock logo
MGRC
McGrath RentCorp
$129.74
+0.5%
1.43%$1.8630.74% 4.20%N/AAnalyst Report
Medtronic plc stock logo
MDT
Medtronic
$86.18
-1.1%
3.20%$2.7647.10% 6.45%N/A
MGE Energy, Inc. stock logo
MGEE
MGE Energy
$64.59
+0.5%
2.65%$1.7142.75% 4.94%2/29/2024
Middlesex Water stock logo
MSEX
Middlesex Water
$56.03
+3.2%
2.32%$1.3052.42% 6.63%2/14/2024
MSA Safety Incorporated stock logo
MSA
MSA Safety
$173.95
+1.7%
1.08%$1.8823.33% 3.03%2/14/2024Upcoming Earnings
Positive News
National Fuel Gas stock logo
NFG
National Fuel Gas
$48.80
+6.5%
4.06%$1.9830.99% 3.46%N/AEarnings Report
News Coverage
High Trading Volume
New Jersey Resources Co. stock logo
NJR
New Jersey Resources
$41.16
+1.6%
4.08%$1.6857.34% 7.89%3/12/2024Earnings Report
Analyst Report
News Coverage
NextEra Energy, Inc. stock logo
NEE
NextEra Energy
$56.28
-0.2%
3.32%$1.8750.95% 10.13%N/A
NNN REIT, Inc. stock logo
NNN
NNN REIT
$39.86
-0.3%
5.67%$2.26111.88% 10.53%N/ANews Coverage
Nordson Co. stock logo
NDSN
Nordson
$261.87
+2.4%
1.04%$2.7225.12% 19.98%2/16/2024Dividend Announcement
Positive News
Northwest Natural Holding stock logo
NWN
Northwest Natural
$35.34
-0.8%
5.52%$1.9565.44% 0.52%N/APositive News
Nucor Co. stock logo
NUE
Nucor
$186.28
+0.0%
1.16%$2.1616.18% 8.68%N/AInsider Selling
Analyst Revision
Old Republic International Co. stock logo
ORI
Old Republic International
$27.58
+0.3%
3.55%$0.9833.33% 5.27%N/AInsider Selling
Parker-Hannifin Co. stock logo
PH
Parker-Hannifin
$515.34
+0.5%
1.15%$5.9222.97% 17.91%2/8/2024Earnings Report
Analyst Report
Insider Selling
PepsiCo, Inc. stock logo
PEP
PepsiCo
$173.85
+1.4%
2.91%$5.0657.43% 7.12%N/AUpcoming Earnings
Dividend Announcement
Analyst Revision
PepsiCo, Inc. stock logo
PEP
PepsiCo
$173.85
+1.4%
2.91%$5.0657.43% 7.12%N/AUpcoming Earnings
Dividend Announcement
Analyst Revision
Polaris Inc. stock logo
PII
Polaris
$90.88
+0.8%
2.86%$2.6028.11% 1.59%2/29/2024Dividend Increase
Analyst Revision
PPG Industries, Inc. stock logo
PPG
PPG Industries
$138.63
-0.5%
1.88%$2.6027.93% 6.55%2/15/2024Analyst Revision
Prosperity Bancshares, Inc. stock logo
PB
Prosperity Bancshares
$62.14
+0.3%
3.60%$2.2438.10% 5.73%3/14/2024Analyst Upgrade
Positive News
Realty Income Co. stock logo
O
Realty Income
$53.16
-0.4%
5.79%$3.08226.47% 2.98%N/AAnalyst Upgrade
RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. stock logo
RNR
RenaissanceRe
$226.54
-3.4%
0.67%$1.524.42% 2.78%3/14/2024Dividend Increase
Analyst Report
RLI Corp. stock logo
RLI
RLI
$137.22
-0.1%
0.79%$1.0818.82% 4.04%N/A
RPM International Inc. stock logo
RPM
RPM International
$106.49
+0.5%
1.73%$1.8429.53% 5.61%N/APositive News
S&P Global Inc. stock logo
SPGI
S&P Global
$436.63
-5.0%
0.82%$3.6021.95% 10.34%2/26/2024Gap Down
High Trading Volume
SEI Investments stock logo
SEIC
SEI Investments
$66.31
+0.5%
1.39%$0.9221.25% 7.32%N/AAnalyst Revision
Positive News
SJW Group stock logo
SJW
SJW Group
$58.94
+0.2%
2.71%$1.6053.87% 5.90%N/A
Sonoco Products stock logo
SON
Sonoco Products
$56.89
+0.6%
3.59%$2.0436.56% 5.51%N/AUpcoming Earnings
News Coverage
Positive News
Southside Bancshares, Inc. stock logo
SBSI
Southside Bancshares
$29.77
-0.1%
4.70%$1.4047.95% 3.85%2/14/2024Dividend Cut
Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. stock logo
SWK
Stanley Black & Decker
$89.27
-0.5%
3.63%$3.2454.36% 5.02%N/AEarnings Report
Analyst Report
Stepan stock logo
SCL
Stepan
$90.06
+0.8%
1.67%$1.5029.70% 9.16%N/AAnalyst Revision
News Coverage
Positive News
Stryker Co. stock logo
SYK
Stryker
$338.79
-1.1%
0.94%$3.2024.06% 9.00%3/27/2024Dividend Announcement
Insider Selling
Sysco Co. stock logo
SYY
Sysco
$79.32
-0.4%
2.52%$2.0042.37% 3.23%N/A
T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. stock logo
TROW
T. Rowe Price Group
$108.91
-0.7%
4.48%$4.8863.13% 10.67%3/14/2024Earnings Report
News Coverage
Gap Up
Target Co. stock logo
TGT
Target
$147.42
+0.5%
2.98%$4.4042.76% 29.66%2/20/2024Analyst Upgrade
News Coverage
Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. stock logo
TDS
Telephone and Data Systems
$18.46
+1.5%
4.01%$0.74-157.45% 2.86%N/AUpcoming Earnings
Tennant stock logo
TNC
Tennant
$97.71
+1.2%
1.15%$1.1216.92% 6.50%N/ANews Coverage
The Clorox Company stock logo
CLX
Clorox
$154.18
-0.9%
3.11%$4.8075.71% 3.13%N/AEarnings Report
Analyst Report
Analyst Revision
The Coca-Cola Company stock logo
KO
Coca-Cola
$59.83
-0.3%
3.08%$1.8461.33% 3.91%N/AUpcoming Earnings
Analyst Revision
The Gorman-Rupp Company stock logo
GRC
Gorman-Rupp
$35.77
+1.6%
2.01%$0.7238.50% 6.12%2/14/2024Earnings Report
Analyst Revision
The J. M. Smucker Company stock logo
SJM
J. M. Smucker
$131.09
-0.4%
3.23%$4.2439.01% 5.33%2/15/2024
The Procter & Gamble Company stock logo
PG
Procter & Gamble
$158.64
-0.3%
2.37%$3.7653.95% 6.21%N/AAnalyst Revision
The Sherwin-Williams Company stock logo
SHW
Sherwin-Williams
$312.15
+0.7%
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Key Points

  • Dividend-paying stocks can offer a foundation for a conservative portfolio.
  • Dividend Champion stocks are stocks of companies that have increased dividend payouts for 25 straight years.
  • Dividend Champions follow specific criteria and less than 100 currently trade on U.S. exchanges.

Are you looking for dividend champions to invest in? 

Unlike the NFL or NBA, where we can only crown one champion, plenty of stocks can own the title of "Dividend Champion" as long as they meet specific criteria. And no, they won't fight each other unless you consider competition for investment dollars. 

Dividend Champions can be a portfolio cornerstone for investors, especially those approaching retirement age who want a little security (and income) from their holdings. In this article, you'll learn what makes a stock a Dividend Champion, what separates Dividend Champions from Dividend Contenders and how to add them to your portfolio.

dividend champions

Overview of Dividend Champions

Dividend Champions have fairly specific criteria, which are less stringent than the more renowned Dividend Aristocrats list. Dave Fish of the DRIP Investing Resource Center maintains the Dividend Champions spreadsheet. To be included on the Dividend Champions list, a stock must meet the following guidelines: 

  • It must have 25 consecutive years of dividend payout increases. 
  • It must trade in the United States.

Unlike the Dividend Aristocrats, Dividend Champions don't need to be S&P 500 members and have no minimum market cap or daily volume guidelines.

The key characteristic here is the 25 years of dividend payout increases. Note that this refers to the total dividend payout, not an increase in dividend yield. A company can remain a Dividend Champion even if the dividend yield decreases year-over-year (YOY). The "Dividend Champion" label will remain as long as the dividend payout continues to grow. Rapid increases in dividend yield can indicate an unstable company since the dividend payment obligations may become challenging to meet. 

For example, Kinder Morgan Inc. (NYSE: KMI) had a dividend yield of 10.3% for Q1 in 2016. Later that year, the company slashed its dividend by 75% due to stagnant energy prices, taking the share price down.

When a company can increase its dividend payouts for 25 straight years, many investors consider it a safe and reliable business, but this eliminates a lot of growth-oriented stocks from the equation. Dividend Champions tend to reside in the industrial, energy, consumer staples and healthcare sectors.

Due to their lack of growth potential, Dividend Champion stocks are an excellent match for more conservative portfolios. You will find few 10-baggers in this group since they're established companies with stable sales and little interest in expanding into new businesses or industries. However, a portfolio of the top 25 dividend stocks is typical for investors approaching retirement age who want some margin of safety from their investments and steady income through dividend payment increases.

Dividend Champions vs. Dividend Contenders

What separates the Champions from the Contenders when it comes to dividend stocks? The same thing that often separates champions and contenders in sports like football — experience.

Dividend Contenders (like their counterparts, the Dividend Achievers) meet many of the same requirements as Dividend Champions, but they don't have as much experience enhancing their yearly dividend payouts consistently.

To qualify as a Dividend Champion, the company must have a minimum 25-year history of increasing its dividend payout. But the next tier down is the Dividend Contenders, which only have 10 years of dividend payout increases. Many companies on the Dividend Contenders list will grow into Dividend Champions if given time, but 25 years of dividend payout increases is a high bar to reach. Many firms fail to cross that threshold, even if they're well-run and profitable businesses. 

Example of a High-Quality Dividend Champion

Looking for a top-notch Dividend Champion stock? Remember, when it comes to dividend stocks, it's often the most boring companies that rise to the top. In that regard, let's look at one of the bell cows of the Dividend Champions — the Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX).

Clorox is a consumer staples company that makes household products like cleaners, disinfectants, laundry detergent and other bleach products. Clorox owns brands like Brita, Glad, Kingsford, Pine-Sol and Fresh Step. The company has been in business since 1913, went public in 1928 and currently has a market cap north of $17 billion.

What makes Clorox a Dividend Champion? It has raised dividend payouts for 34 consecutive years. Clorox isn't exactly an exciting or groundbreaking company in terms of R&D, but it sells products that all consumers buy, regardless of economic climate or household balance sheets.

How to Invest in Dividend Champions

Investing in Dividend Champions doesn't require advanced market knowledge or the ability to decipher technical trading signals. But you need to understand how dividends distribute to maximize your investment profits. Here's how to get started:

Step 1: Open a brokerage account.

The first step is opening a brokerage account with access to shares of the dividend stocks you wish to purchase. Since Dividend Champions are well-known securities with ample liquidity, you should be able to locate them through most major brokerages in the United States.

Step 2: Determine how much capital to invest.

Next, figure out how much capital you want to devote to dividend stocks. You can make an entire portfolio out of these Dividend Champions or carve out a portion of your portfolio for them. Remember that Dividend Champion stocks tend to be less volatile than other securities.

Step 3: Figure out which Dividend Champions to buy.

Now decide which Dividend Champion stocks to buy. While stocks with 25 years of dividend payout increases are rare, there is still plenty to fill a portfolio within various industries. You could stick to specific sectors like healthcare or consumer staples with your Dividend Champion investments, or you may want to grab a company from each different industry. There's no right or wrong way to construct a dividend stock portfolio, provided the stocks in question meet the Dividend Champion criteria.

Step 4: Purchase shares before the ex-dividend date.

Here's the important part: To be eligible to receive the dividend, you must own the stock before the ex-dividend date. Doing so may seem redundant if you've owned the shares for years, but if you want to increase your stake in a particular company, make sure you purchase the shares before this date to maximize the income you receive from these payouts. If you buy shares after the ex-dividend date, you won't receive the dividend; the trader who sold you the shares will.

Dividend Champions Sector Breakdown

Let's take a look at a few of the sectors associated with Dividend Champions:

Market Capitalization of Dividend Champions

Dividend Champion market caps can come in a wide range of figures. Unlike the Dividend Aristocrats, there's no minimum market-cap number for inclusion as a Dividend Champion. However, many Dividend Champions already fall into the large-cap category since they're usually big, established companies with steady sales and leadership. 

As mentioned above, Clorox has a market cap of $17 billion, which puts it in the mid-range for market caps among Dividend Champions. At the higher end, you'll find companies like medical supplier Becton, Dickinson and Company, which has a market cap of over $72 billion, or Caterpillar Inc., which is over $132 billion in terms of market cap. Of course, pharmaceutical giant Johnson and Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) has a nearly half-trillion-dollar market cap.

Dividend Champions: Stability in a Volatile World

Growth-oriented investors reaped the most rewards during the 10-year bull market following the Great Recession as rates plummeted and inflation stayed cool. But now that rates are rising and inflation has elevated, profitability and sustainability have reentered the conversation, and that's where stocks like the Dividend Champions could outperform. 

Dividend Champions may not make you rich over a short period. Still, they are great stocks for conservative investors looking to preserve their purchasing power while earning consistent income. They are popular buys for retirement accounts like IRAs, especially Roth IRAs, where the dividend payouts won't be subject to taxation.

FAQs

Here are a few frequently asked questions about investing in dividend-paying stocks:

How many Dividend Champions are there?

Generally, less than 200 Dividend Champions are trading at a given time. A company with 25 consecutive years of dividend payout increases is rare in public markets, so the list remains relatively short.

What are the highest-paying Dividend Kings?

Companies like W.W. Grainger (NYSE: GWW) and Essex Property Trust (NYSE: ESS) have the largest cash payouts among the top dividend payers. On the other hand, firms like V.F. Corporation (NYSE: VFC) and 3M Company (NYSE: MMM) offer the highest dividend yield.

How do you decide on the top dividend stocks?

Deciding which Dividend Champions to buy depends on individual preferences. Some dividend investors choose stocks from industries they're most familiar with; others try to diversify across sectors. Familiarize yourself with special dividends, which don't always factor into the Dividend Champion criteria.

Dan Schmidt

About Dan Schmidt

  • dan.schmidt7@gmail.com

Contributing Author

Stocks, Fundamental and Technical Analysis

Experience

Dan Schmidt has been a contributing writer for MarketBeat since 2022.

Areas of Expertise

Stocks, investing, markets, financial planning, credit cards, debt consolidation

Education

Penn State University; Certification in Technical Writing, University of Wisconsin

Past Experience

Vanguard, Capital One, Benzinga, Fora Financial

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