Ask any dividend growth investor who’s been in the game for more than ten years which Dividend Kings they have in their portfolios, and I am willing to bet that they will 1) know exactly what you’re talking about, and 2) have several favorites to list out.
Dividend Kings are quality companies that have a history of consistent yearly dividend increases for 50 or more years. Some of them have even paid dividends for over a century. To put that into perspective, over the past 50 years, there have been five major economic meltdowns and at least 10 major global conflicts.
And throughout all that, these Dividend Kings not only survived - they thrived, and continued to reward shareholders. No wonder analysts love them.
So, today, let’s look at the best Dividend Kings in the market based on Wall Street’s ratings.
How I Came Up With The Following Stocks
Using Barchart’s Stock Screener, I came up with the following filters for this analysis:
- Number of Analysts: 20 or more. I’m being stricter on this analysis by limiting stocks that 20 or more analysts cover. That way, I can be more confident that Wall Street’s pros vet the results.
- Current Analyst Rating: 4.5 to 5 (Strong Buy) - to get the best of the best.
- Watchlist: Dividend Kings.
With the filters set, I ran the screen and got four results:
I then arranged the results from highest to lowest analyst ratings and took the top three. However, I would like to give a special mention to Parker-Hannafin Corp in fourth place, which placed third in my last top-rated Dividend Kings list.
Let's start with the top Dividend King from this screen.
Coca-Cola Company (KO)
It goes without saying that the Coca-Cola Company is one of the world’s most recognizable brands. However, it also has the distinction of being a dividend darling for investors. As of today, the company maintains its status as a Dividend Aristocrat, King, and Zombie (with 100+ years of consecutive dividends). Operations-wise, the company’s products consistently rank among the best-selling beverages in the world. It has over 950 production facilities and 200 bottling partners worldwide, which means its brand strength - and consequently, its revenue streams - won’t be going away any time soon.
KO stock has an average score of 4.83 out of 5 - the highest on this list. Meanwhile, the company pays $2.04 annually, which translates to around a 2.90% yield, also the highest on this list.
S&P Global Inc (SPGI)
Next on the list of Dividend Kings is S&P Global, a powerhouse in financial information and analytics. Best known for its credit ratings through S&P Ratings, the company also owns essential data and benchmarking tools used by asset managers, banks, governments, and corporations worldwide. Some of S&P Global’s most well-known indices include the S&P 500, S&P MidCap 400, and S&P SmallCap 600 - all of which serve as benchmarks for investment products worldwide.
Though a popular dividend king, S&P Global has a low yield. Currently, it pays $3.84 annually, translating to around a 0.73% yield.
However, for as long as I have been watching the markets, SPGI stock is consistently rated a consensus buy. Today, it maintains a strong buy rating based on a 4.79 average score from 24 analysts. And if that’s not enough to convince you, SPGI has grown by 1,081.85% over the last 20 years. Now that’s the kind of long-term growth dividend investors love.
Walmart Inc (WMT)
Last on the list of Dividend Kings is Walmart, one of the world’s largest retailers by revenue and a mainstay of both consumer staples and dividend-focused portfolios. The company is well-known for its brick-and-mortar operations, with more than 10,750 stores worldwide. But of course, no top-rated Dividend King would settle for undiversified operations, and Walmart is seeing success in expanding to online shopping markets. As of Q1’26, its global e-commerce sales jumped by 22% - proof that it has what it takes to compete with other e-commerce giants like Amazon and Alibaba.
WMT stock has a 4.79 average score based on 38 analysts, and the company pays 94 cents annually, which reflects an approximate 0.96% yield.
Final Thoughts
Dividend Kings offer the kind of consistent and reliable income that long-term investors actively search for. However, not all Dividend Kings are buy-rated, and a quick analysis yielded 14 hold- or sell-rated Kings today. That’s why it’s essential to look beyond the dividend streak and evaluate fundamentals, growth prospects, and, of course, what the experts think of the stock, before investing.
On the date of publication, Rick Orford did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
