5 Dividend Aristocrats to Buy Now for Income the Rest of Your Life

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. According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), passive income generally includes earnings from rental activity or any trade, business, or investment in which the individual does not materially participate. It can also include income from limited partnerships, stocks, bonds, and other similar enterprises in which the investor is not actively involved.

Companies that have raised their dividends for shareholders for almost 70 years are the kind of investments that passive income investors need to own. Dependability is crucial for individuals seeking to increase their annual income through dividend stock investments. The Dividend Aristocrats comprise 69 companies that have increased their dividends for at least 25 consecutive years, a testament to their dependability and reliability. Those are two “must-have” items for investors who rely on passive income to boost their overall revenue.

We screened the list looking for companies that have raised their dividend the longest among the group. Five stocks that most investors are very familiar with are among the longevity champions and pay among the highest dividends. All are rated Buy by top Wall Street firms, and all have increased their dividend payments to shareholders for nearly 70 years.

Why do we recommend the Dividend Aristocrats?

Companies that have paid and raised their dividends for almost 70 years are the kind 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.

Dover Corp

While somewhat off the radar, this company has increased the dividend paid to shareholders for an incredible 70 consecutive years. Dover Corp. (NYSE: DOV) is a diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider operating in five primary segments.

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

J.P. Morgan has assigned an Overweight rating to the shares, with a target price of $211.

Emerson Electric

This technology and industrial giant has raised its dividend for 69 consecutive years. Emerson Electric Inc. (NYSE: EMR) is a global technology and software company that provides solutions to customers across a wide range of end markets worldwide.

The company operates through seven segments under two business groups. The Intelligent Devices business includes:

• Final Control
• Measurement & Analytical
• Discrete Automation
• Safety & Productivity

The Software and Control business encompasses:

• Control Systems & Software
• Test & Measurement
• AspenTech

The Final Control segment is a global provider of:

• Control valves
• Isolation valves
• Shutoff valves
• Pressure relief valves
• Pressure safety valves
• Actuators
• Regulators for process and hybrid industries

Its Measurement & Analytical segment is a supplier of intelligent instrumentation measuring the physical properties of liquids or gases. The AspenTech segment provides asset optimization software that enables industrial manufacturers to design, operate, and maintain their operations.

Citigroup has a Buy rating and a $165 price target.

Genuine Parts

Investors seeking a solid retail investment should consider purchasing this company, as its products remain in high demand and it has raised the dividend for 69 consecutive years. Genuine Parts Inc. (NYSE: GPC) is a global service provider of automotive and industrial replacement parts and value-added solutions.

The company’s segments include:

• Automotive Parts Group
• Industrial Parts Group

The Automotive segment distributes replacement parts (other than collision parts) for all makes and models of automobiles, trucks, and other vehicles in North America, Europe, and Australasia.

Its main automotive customers are repair and maintenance shops, and its main industrial customers are businesses operating distribution, manufacturing, and production equipment.

The Industrial segment distributes a wide variety of industrial bearings, mechanical and fluid power transmission equipment, including:

• Hydraulic and pneumatic products
• Material handling components
• Related parts and supplies

Genuine Parts’ industrial business offers replacement parts and solutions to customers in the maintenance, repair, and operation (MRO) sector, as well as to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

Truist Financial has a Buy rating on the shares with a $137 target.

Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE: PG) was founded more than 185 years ago as a soap and candle company and has paid dividends to shareholders since 1891, and has raised them for 70 straight years. Procter & Gamble focused on providing branded consumer packaged goods to consumers worldwide.

The company’s segments include:

• Beauty
• Grooming
• Health Care
• Fabric & Home Care
• Baby
• Feminine & Family Care

The company’s products are sold in approximately 180 countries and territories primarily through mass merchandisers, e-commerce, including social commerce channels, grocery stores, membership club stores, drug stores, department stores, distributors, wholesalers, specialty beauty stores, including airport duty-free stores, high-frequency stores, pharmacies, electronics stores, and professional channels.

It also sells directly to individual consumers. It has operations in approximately 70 countries.

Procter & Gamble offers products under these brands and others, such as:

• Head & Shoulders
• Herbal Essences
• Pantene
• Rejoice
• Olay,
• Old Spice
• Safeguard
• Secret
• SK-II
• Braun
• Gillette
• Venus
• Crest
• Oral-B
• Ariel
• Downy
• Gain
• Tide
• Always
• Always Discreet
• Tampax
• Bounty

Raymond James has an Outperform rating with a $185 target price.

Coca-Cola

This American multinational corporation was founded in 1892 and has raised the dividend for shareholders for 64 years. Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) remains a top long-time holding of Warren Buffett. He owns a massive 400 million shares, which are up a solid 12.18% in 2025. This 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. It’s also important to remember that the company owns 16% of Monster Beverage Corp. (NASDAQ: MNST), which continues to deliver strong financial results.

UBS has a Buy rating and an $86 price objective.

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