Just when investors thought this time just might be different, volatility came back in the door. A few words from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and heavier-than-expected capital expenditure guidance from some of the key hyperscalers stopped the stock rally in its tracks.
That’s triggering a flight to safety for some investors. Safety means different things to different investors, but in many cases, it’s about shifting from growth-dominant stocks to ones that offer more value. These aren’t names like NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) or Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), and certainly not the no-revenue speculative stocks.
However, they are stocks that make ideal long-term investments, providing investors with the confidence of consistently positive returns over time. That means, in part, stocks that pay reliable dividends. However, there are still safe dividend-paying stocks that also offer steady growth that can make them part of a long-term portfolio.
Coca-Cola: A Dividend King Built on Consistency
When you think of what a safe and secure stock would be, it’s hard not to think about The Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO). The consumer staples stock is a favorite of Warren Buffett’s and not just because it’s a Dividend King, having increased its dividend payout for 64 consecutive years.
It’s about consistency. The company consistently exceeds revenue and earnings expectations, continuing to demonstrate year-over-year growth on both its top and bottom lines. It may not be the double-digit growth investors have come to expect from the hottest tech stocks, but when safety is the name of the game, growth is growth.
That pattern repeated itself in the company’s third-quarter earnings report. KO stock is up about 10% in 2025 but is still about 13.5% below analysts’ consensus price target. That stock price appreciation, coupled with a 2.96% dividend yield, leaves plenty of upside for investors.
Kimberly-Clark: A Reliable Consumer Staples Performer
Kimberly-Clark Corp. (NASDAQ: KMB) is another consumer staples stock to consider. In fact, KO stock and KMB stock are included in many of the same exchange-traded funds (ETFs) because of their similar profiles.
Kimberly-Clark makes personal care and consumer tissue products. It's the parent company for iconic brands such as Kleenex, Huggies, and Cottonelle. Like Coca-Cola, Kimberly-Clark is a Dividend King with 54 consecutive years of dividend increases.
KMB stock is down approximately 8% in 2025 as it faces increased pressure from private label brands and uncertainty regarding tariff-related expenses. However, the company reported earnings on Oct. 30 and beat on the top and bottom lines.
At 15x forward earnings, KMB stock has a more attractive valuation than KO stock, but it offers slightly less growth, being only about 13% below its consensus price target.
Healthpeak Properties: A High-Yield REIT Ready for Rate Cuts
Real estate investment trusts (REITs) have fallen out of favor with some investors. But Healthpeak Properties Inc. (NYSE: DOC) may be a name to consider during the Federal Reserve’s rate-cutting cycle. DOC stock is down 13% in 2025, but the consensus price target suggests a potential 21% upside.
One thing that makes REITs attractive to value investors is the requirement to pay a dividend. That’s good news as long as the dividend is sustainable. Healthpeak’s third-quarter earnings report shows that its 6.89% dividend yield was 151% covered by its funds from operations (FFO). FFO is a key metric that investors use to get insight into the profitability of a REIT’s core activities.
That was after just one rate cut. Since the company’s earnings report, there’s been another cut and, perhaps, one more to come in December. Even if that doesn’t occur, the company will be able to refinance its existing debt at a lower rate and borrow money at lower rates for new projects.
Healthpeak owns and operates a diversified portfolio of properties, including life science research facilities, medical office buildings, and senior housing communities. That checks off every significant box and has a strong correlation with an aging population.
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The article "3 Safe and Steady Stocks for Any Market" first appeared on MarketBeat.
