The Coca-Cola Company, a beverage company, manufactures, markets, and sells various nonalcoholic beverages worldwide. The company provides sparkling soft drinks, sparkling flavors; water, sports, coffee, and tea; juice, value-added dairy, and plant-based beverages; and other beverages. It also offers beverage concentrates and syrups, as well as fountain syrups to fountain retailers, such as restaurants and convenience stores. The company sells its products under the Coca-Cola, 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, Thums Up, Aquarius, Ayataka, BODYARMOR, Ciel, Costa, Dasani, dogadan, FUZE TEA, Georgia, glacéau smartwater, glacéau vitaminwater, Gold Peak, Ice Dew, I LOHAS, Powerade, Topo Chico, AdeS, Del Valle, fairlife, innocent, Minute Maid, and Minute Maid Pulpy brands. It operates through a network of independent bottling partners, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers, as well as through bottling and distribution operators. The company was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Coca-Cola демонстрирует сильные фундаментальные показатели, включая высокие значения ROE (44.33%), ROA (12.63%) и маржи прибыли, которые значительно превышают медианные значения по отрасли. Однако, мультипликаторы, такие как P/E (25.90) и P/S (7.06), находятся на уровне переоцененности, что может указывать на риски для инвесторов. Долговая нагрузка (debt-to-equity ratio 1.30) также выше медианы, что вызывает некоторые опасения по поводу финансовой устойчивости. Несмотря на это, рост выручки и чистой прибыли на протяжении последних годов подчеркивает устойчивость бизнеса. Дивидендная доходность отсутствует, что также может быть минусом для инвесторов, ищущих доход от инвестиций. В целом, несмотря на определенные слабости, сильные операционные показатели и рост прибыли дают основание для осторожного оптимизма по оценке компании.

Coca-Cola Company (The)

Key Points
Investors have flocked to the safety of consumer staples stocks so far in 2026.
Coca-Cola is about as consistent as they come in consumer goods.
Procter & Gamble has increased its dividend for 69 consecutive years.
Since the start of the year, investors have rotated out of high-flying tech stocks and into more defensive areas of the market, including consumer staples. As of March 11, the S&P 1500 Consumer Staples index is up 11%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) is down 2.2%.
In uncertain markets, investors often gravitate toward leading consumer brands for their resiliency and dividends. Two high-yielding consumer staples stocks to consider buying right now are Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) and Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG).
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Here's why both look like rock-solid long-term holdings.
1. Coca-Cola
Despite a choppy consumer spending environment, Coca-Cola has delivered steady sales. It has a diversified brand portfolio that extends well beyond its Coca-Cola-branded products, including Dasani, Minute Maid, and Powerade. The company had only one down year in unit sales volume in the last 50 years, and that was during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
One reason Coca-Cola produces consistent sales is execution. It doesn't just distribute the same beverages to all markets. It tailors each product to fit local cultures. This requires exceptional research, data, and precision marketing.
Coca-Cola has delivered 19 consecutive quarters of value share gains. It has seen notable strength recently from Coca-Cola, Sprite Zero, Fresca, Dasani, fairlife, Powerade, and BodyArmor.
The company generates returns on invested capital that are nearly double those of its consumer packaged goods competitors. It posted organic sales growth of 5% last year and just raised the dividend for the 64th consecutive year. That makes it a Dividend King, or a company that has increased its dividend for 50 years or more.
With an attractive forward dividend yield of 2.76% and an exceptional record of driving consistent sales, Coca-Cola can provide ballast to a portfolio loaded with growth stocks.
2. Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is another top consumer staple that has been around for ages, delivering 69 consecutive years of dividend increases, also making it a Dividend King. It currently offers an above-average yield of 2.78% on a forward-looking basis and plans to distribute about $15 billion to shareholders in dividends and share repurchases this year.
P&G's competitive edge is built on strong brands and superior product performance. This has led to name-brand recognition in the grocery aisle. Its product roster includes category leaders such as Tide, Pampers, Gillette, and Crest.
P&G could be a major beneficiary of artificial intelligence (AI). The company is investing in AI-powered molecular discovery. This initiative could accelerate product development, potentially lowering costs, boosting margins, and stimulating demand through a steady flow of new products.
The company has been struggling in a slow consumer spending environment, with flat adjusted sales last quarter. But it's holding or gaining market share across most of its product categories, suggesting growth will return when consumer spending picks up again. P&G's strong brands and AI opportunities should drive growing earnings and dividends for years to come.
Should you buy stock in Coca-Cola right now?
Before you buy stock in Coca-Cola, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Coca-Cola wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $514,000!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,105,029!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 930% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 187% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 15, 2026.
John Ballard has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

The Top 2 Consumer Staples Stocks to Buy Right Now

Key Points
Coca-Cola, ExxonMobil, and AbbVie are blue chip stocks that have provided consistent quarterly payouts.
Realty Income and the JEPQ ETF both offer a monthly payout.
Dividend stocks are a tried-and-true way to maximize your investments and build wealth that leads to a comfortable retirement. These payments, which are a portion of the company's profits, are often made by mature, stable companies and are seen as an incentive to entice new investors into taking a position in the company.
For investors, this provides two benefits. First, you can reinvest your dividend payment into your portfolio, making it grow even faster. The S&P 500 index has had a mean dividend yield of 1.74% over the last 10 years. That may not sound like a lot, but over a decade, it adds up. The index has risen 240% in the last 10 years, but if you account for the reinvested dividends, the S&P 500's total return is 305%.
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Or you can use those dividend payments as regular income. Dividends are a favored vehicle for investors who are in retirement because they act as a form of passive income -- meaning that retirees don't need to draw down their retirement accounts as quickly.
There are plenty of different dividend stocks from which to choose, but here are my five favorites right now.
1. Realty Income
Realty Income (NYSE: O) has long been at the top of my list of dividend stocks. First, I like that it's a monthly dividend stock rather than a quarterly one. That's important because getting payments into your account quickly means you can reinvest them sooner. Or, if you are using Realty Income for passive income, it's easy to set up a monthly budget when you have a monthly dividend stock.
Second, Realty Income is dedicated to raising its dividend. The company has paid a monthly dividend for more than 55 years, in which time it's increased its dividend 133 times. The yield currently sits at 5%.
Realty Income is consistent because it's a solid business, built to last. The real estate investment trust owns more than 15,500 properties and rents them to more than 1,700 clients, generating $5.3 billion in annualized rent.
2. ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) is a massive oil and gas company that offers upstream production, midstream pipelines, and downstream refining and chemicals. It also operates more than 12,000 gas stations in the U.S. under the Exxon and Mobil brands.
The company generates a ton of money. Cash flow from operations totaled $52 billion in 2025, which allowed ExxonMobil to pay out $17.2 billion in dividends and repurchase an additional $20 billion worth of shares. ExxonMobil's dividend yield is a healthy 2.8%.
3. AbbVie
AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) is my favorite pharmaceutical company for dividend yields. The company is getting a lot of its profits these days from Skyrizi, which was responsible for $5 billion in revenue in the fourth quarter, up 31.9%, and from Rinvoq, which contributed another $2.37 billion, up 28.6%.
Those gains allowed AbbVie to report revenue growth for the quarter, even though the company lost exclusivity for its popular Humira drug. Overall, the company generated $16.6 billion in revenue in the quarter, up 10% year over year. AbbVie's dividend yield is 3%.
4. Coca-Cola
Beverage company Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) is a Dividend King, meaning that it's raised its dividend for at least 50 consecutive years. The company shows no sign of slowing, as Coca-Cola's dividend yield is a respectable 2.6%.
Coca-Cola has the biggest market share of carbonated soft drinks in the U.S., but this is much more than a soda company. The Atlanta-based company also manufactures sports drinks, water, tea, lemonade, juices, and coffee.
5. JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF
The JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (NASDAQ: JEPQ) isn't a stock. In fact, it's not even a traditional dividend ETF. JEPQ, which is managed by a division of JPMorgan Chase, employs a covered-call strategy through equity-linked notes to generate dividends for shareholders. Fund managers sell out-of-the-money call options on stocks in the index, and the proceeds are distributed as a dividend each month.
I love tech stocks, so the JEPQ ETF caught my eye a few months ago. I was looking for a way to draw passive income from tech stocks that typically don't offer a payout at all. The ETF's top holdings include some of my favorite stocks -- Nvidia, Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Amazon. Those stocks offer just a pittance of a dividend, if at all. But JEPQ's covered-call strategy allows it to pay a current yield of 10.6%. That means I'll be keeping the JEPQ in my portfolio for a long time.
Should you buy stock in Coca-Cola right now?
Before you buy stock in Coca-Cola, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Coca-Cola wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $514,000!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,105,029!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 930% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 187% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 15, 2026.
JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Patrick Sanders has positions in JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends AbbVie, Alphabet, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Realty Income. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

My 5 Favorite Dividend Stocks to Buy Right Now

Key Points
This exchange-traded fund (ETF) is focused on healthy, dividend-paying stocks.
It has averaged annual gains of more than 13% over the past decade.
I'm tempted to suggest a high-growth exchange-traded fund (ETF) here, but instead I want to offer a top-flight dividend-oriented ETF. Why? Well, I'm considering that the world -- and our economy -- is a little less steady than usual these days, with a war afoot and tariffs and trade wars, too. On top of that, the stock market has delivered double-digit gains in six of the past seven full years (2019-2025). It could be smart to be a defensive investor.
So dividends. Healthy and growing dividend-paying stocks offer the potential for stock-price appreciation, just like any stock. And on top of that, they deliver regular income -- which tends to grow over time via dividend increases. It's a compelling proposition in any kind of economy, really.
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Meet the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF
Consider the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEMKT: SCHD). Here's how it has performed in recent years:
Period
Average annual gain
Past 1 year
15.67%
Past 3 years
12.66%
Past 5 years
11.03%
Past 10 years
13.37%
Since inception (10/20/2011)
13.30%
Clearly, it's a strong performer -- and it's also a solid dividend payer, recently yielding 3.3%. Most funds tend to deliver either strong returns or strong dividend income. This one offers both.
If you invested $1,200 annually ($100 per month) in it, and you earned an annual return of, say, 10%, you'd end up with around $68,730 in 20 years.
So what's in this ETF? Here are the top 10 holdings as of March 13:
Stock
Weight in ETF
Recent yield
Lockheed Martin
4.94%
2.1%
ConocoPhillips
4.74%
2.8%
Chevron
4.70%
3.6%
Verizon Communications
4.50%
5.6%
Altria Group
4.19%
6.3%
Bristol Myers Squibb
4.18%
4.3%
Merck
4.19%
2.9%
Coca-Cola
3.96%
2.7%
PepsiCo
3.88%
3.6%
Amgen
3.85%
2.7%
The ETF holds roughly 100 stocks, many of them blue chips. Invest in the ETF now and you'll own those same stocks -- and can expect significant dividend income.
Should you buy stock in Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF right now?
Before you buy stock in Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $514,000!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,105,029!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 930% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 187% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 15, 2026.
Selena Maranjian has positions in Altria Group, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF, and Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Chevron, and Merck. The Motley Fool recommends ConocoPhillips, Lockheed Martin, and Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

1 ETF That Could Turn $100 Per Month Into $67,380

Key Points
Berkshire Hathaway has owned Coca-Cola stock for more than 30 years.
Coca-Cola just raised its dividend for the 64th time consecutively.
Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRKA) (NYSE: BRKB) built up a position in Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) stock between 1991 and 1994, and today, it owns 9.3% of the company, a position worth more than $31 billion.
Coca-Cola is the classic Dividend King, with an almost unbeatable track record of raising its dividend for 63 years consecutively. That's more than six decades that span the gamut of stock market and global events, from wars and hyperinflation to a global pandemic and market crashes. It's as resilient as they come.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
The dividend typically yields somewhere around 3%, which is a high yield. While that's attractive to new investors, you can see how the raises and reliability matter a lot more than you might think from seeing Berkshire Hathaway's yield on its cost basis.
Berkshire Hathaway accumulated 400 million shares of Coca-Cola stock in its buying spree, spending about $1.3 billion in total. Today, that position is worth nearly 24 times that amount. While impressive in itself, Berkshire Hathaway has gotten even more out of that investment in dividends.
The cost basis per share of the investment is $1.3 billion divided by 400 million, or $3.25. The annual dividends per share are $2.12 since it raised the dividend for the 64th time in February, which means the yield on cost basis is 65% and Berkshire will get $848 million in dividend payments in the coming year. So long as Berkshire Hathaway holds on to its Coca-Cola shares, it receives an ever-increasing amount of money from the investment annually, which is getting closer to getting back the full amount of its investment. At some point, the total dividends should exceed the entire cost of the initial investment every year. That's the power of buying excellent dividend stocks and holding forever.
Should you buy stock in Coca-Cola right now?
Before you buy stock in Coca-Cola, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Coca-Cola wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $508,607!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,122,746!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 933% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 188% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 14, 2026.
Jennifer Saibil has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Berkshire Hathaway. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

You Won't Believe How Much Money Berkshire Hathaway Gets From Coca-Cola Dividends

Key Points
Coca-Cola is a Dividend King and a leader in the beverage industry.
Procter & Gamble is a Dividend King and a leader in the consumer products space.
Consumer staples companies sell products that get bought in good times and bad. That's why they are considered safe-haven investments during times of uncertainty. Given the economic concerns among consumers and the unfolding geopolitical conflict in the Middle East, now could be a good time to err on the side of caution. Which is why stocks like Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) and Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) could be perfect fits for your portfolio.
Consumer staples and Dividend Kings
Coca-Cola is the world's largest non-alcoholic beverage maker, with iconic brands that stretch well beyond its namesake Coke. Procter & Gamble is also one of the world's largest consumer staples companies, with a portfolio of brands that range from toilet paper to toothpaste. But there's something even more interesting that links these two companies. They are both Dividend Kings.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
Reaching the elite status of Dividend King requires a company to increase its dividend annually for at least 50 consecutive years. A company can only do that if it has a strong business plan that gets executed well in both good times and bad. It also shows that a company places a high value on returning value to shareholders over time via dividend payments.
Both Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble have proven they are resilient businesses. And right now, Coca-Cola is offering a dividend yield of 2.6% while P&G is yielding 2.8%. For comparison, the S&P 500 index (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) is yielding only 1.1% or so.
Coca-Cola and P&G are reasonably priced
Industry-leading businesses like Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble don't go on sale very often. But even a fair price is likely to be a good entry point if your holding period is a decade or longer. P&G's price-to-sale, price-to-earnings, and price-to-book ratios are all below their five year averages. Coca-Cola's P/E and P/B ratios are below their long-term averages, while the P/S ratio is just slightly higher. Thus, they both appear at least reasonably priced, if not a little cheap.
The big story here, however, is that you want to focus on both quality and price when your holding period is measured in decades. And right now, Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble appear to be offering a massive amount of quality for the price, with well above market dividend yields thrown in for good measure.
If you are worried about the market, the economy, or geopolitical tensions, now could be the perfect time to add consumer staples Dividend Kings Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble to your dividend portfolio.
Should you buy stock in Coca-Cola right now?
Before you buy stock in Coca-Cola, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Coca-Cola wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $508,607!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,122,746!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 933% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 188% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 14, 2026.
Reuben Gregg Brewer has positions in Procter & Gamble. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

The Best 2 Consumer Staples Stocks to Buy and Hold for Decades

Key Points
Consumer staples makers provide necessities that people regularly buy.
Coca-Cola and Hormel are both Dividend King consumer staples makers, but they will interest different kinds of investors.
Federal Realty is the only Dividend King REIT, and most of its properties have a grocery component.
There is no way to predict the future, but in some cases, the past can be an important guide. Dividend Kings are a prime example, as a 50-year history of annual dividend increases clearly shows that income investors can likely rely on these stocks to keep paying dividends. Still, you need to do your homework, since even Dividend Kings sometimes cut their dividends.
If you are looking for reliable income stocks in 2026, consumer staple Dividend Kings Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) and Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL) should be on your short list. And so should real estate investment trust (REIT) Federal Realty (NYSE: FRT) for a similar reason. Here's a look at each one.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
Coca-Cola is doing well in a tough market
Consumers are worried about rising costs and are tightening their budgets. But beverage giant Coca-Cola is continuing to perform very well as a business. Notably, organic sales rose 5% in 2025 despite the industrywide headwinds. More fundamentally, the company competes well with any of its peers with regard to its brand, distribution, marketing, and product development strengths. There's a reason why Motley Fool research identifies Coca-Cola as one of the world's largest consumer staples companies.
The stock is rarely cheap, as you might expect. But right now the price-to-earnings ratio is slightly below its five-year average, suggesting that Coca-Cola is reasonably priced. Add in a well-above-market dividend yield of 2.6%, and even the most conservative investors may want to take a look at this Dividend King.
Hormel is in turnaround mode
At the other end of the spectrum is Hormel, which hasn't been hitting on all cylinders of late. The company's food focus on protein, however, is aligned well with consumer eating trends. With a recent CEO change, the company has been working on a turnaround. And the business is starting to show some progress, having strung together five quarters of organic sales growth. Granted, the increases have mostly been in the low single digits, but the consumer staples maker is moving in the right direction.
Despite the headwinds Hormel has faced in recent years, the company has continued to reward shareholders with dividend increases. The most recent dividend hike came at the end of 2025 and was a token 1%. That increased the annual streak to 60 years. The stock's dividend yield is a historically high 5%, which may attract more aggressive investors willing to step into a turnaround situation.
Federal Realty has a grocery focus
Consumer staples makers like Coca-Cola and Hormel are attractive because they basically make life necessities (beverages and food). Consumers continue to buy such products even during recessions and bear markets. Dividend King real estate investment trust Federal Realty benefits from this dynamic, too, since the vast majority of its strip malls and mixed-use assets include a grocery component.
Federal Realty is the only REIT that has achieved Dividend King status. Meanwhile, its 4.2% dividend yield will fit well in most income-focused portfolios. As a business, the company focuses on quality over quantity, with a relatively small portfolio of around 100 properties. And it is an active portfolio manager, regularly buying, selling, and redeveloping properties to ensure its assets are top-tier. It is a quality business that even the most conservative of investors could love.
Lean in to necessities for reliable income
If you are looking for stocks that can consistently pay dividends over the long term, you should focus on necessity-based businesses. Coca-Cola and Hormel make necessities. Federal Realty's properties house businesses that sell necessities. All are Dividend Kings, and all have above-market dividend yields. It is likely that one or more will find their way into your portfolio if you are looking for a reliable dividend stock in 2026.
Should you buy stock in Coca-Cola right now?
Before you buy stock in Coca-Cola, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Coca-Cola wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $508,607!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,122,746!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 933% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 188% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 13, 2026.
Reuben Gregg Brewer has positions in Federal Realty Investment Trust and Hormel Foods. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Top 3 Consumer Staples Dividend Stocks for Reliable Income in 2026

Key Points
A good dividend company generates enough earnings and free cash flow to regularly pay and raise its annual dividend.
Good dividend companies also have a strong track record of consistency.
As investors have likely experienced recently, owning individual stocks for appreciation isn't always stress-free. That's because events outside of anyone's control, whether it's geopolitical or economic concerns, can affect the entire market, even if the company that you own itself hasn't done anything wrong.
That's why investors may want to consider owning dividend stocks for passive income. Although dividend stocks are affected like every other company in the market, they can still pay their regular dividends if their earnings and free cash flow remain strong.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
Here are two dividend stocks investors should buy in March.
Realty Income
The real estate investment trust (REIT) Realty Income (NYSE: O) is widely regarded as one of the stronger dividend stocks in the market, and for good reason. The company had a dividend yield of about 5% and the company has a solid track record, having paid and raised its annual dividend for more than three decades. Realty Income has increased its dividend at a 4.2% annual rate during this period as well.
Realty Income has built a strong business as a triple-net lease operator, leasing properties to tenants who are responsible for associated costs, including property taxes, maintenance, and insurance. In return for covering these costs, tenants may be able to negotiate better, more affordable rents for longer lease terms, while also having greater flexibility over the buildings they lease.
Realty Income focuses on leasing its properties to non-discretionary, service-oriented companies that provide lower-priced products and services. The top business categories in its portfolio are convenience stores and grocery stores, while its top tenants include 7-Eleven and Walgreens. Realty Income has also expanded outside the U.S. and into new property types such as data centers and casinos.
Furthermore, the company maintains strong coverage of its dividend. It pays out about 75% of its adjusted funds from operations, which is essentially a measure of free cash flow for REITs.
Coca-Cola
The iconic beverage maker Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) is not only a good dividend stock, but also a strong defensive play for the times we find ourselves in. The stock has done well this year, and it tends to outperform in times of economic and geopolitical turbulence.
Coca-Cola has a fantastic track record as a dividend stock and is known as a Dividend King, meaning it has paid and raised its annual dividend for at least five decades. In fact, Coca-Cola has raised its dividend for 63 straight years, and its trailing 12-month dividend yield is about 2.6%, more than double the average among S&P 500 companies.
I think investors also view Coca-Cola as a safe asset amid concerns about the adoption of artificial intelligence. Although every business will likely use AI in one way or another, Coca-Cola sells physical beverages that can't be replaced by technology.
Coca-Cola is a mature company in a mature market, meaning growth is never likely to jump off the page, but the company has modified its drink portfolio to appeal to consumer tastes and health preferences. In the fourth quarter of 2025, Coca-Cola came up short of Wall Street revenue estimates, but the company still predicted 4% to 5% organic revenue growth in 2026, and 7% to 8% earnings-per-share growth.
After charges associated with an acquisition, Coca-Cola also expects a strong rebound in free cash flow, projecting more than $12 billion this year. That comfortably covers Coca-Cola's $8.8 billion in dividends paid in 2025 and the expected increase this year.
Should you buy stock in Coca-Cola right now?
Before you buy stock in Coca-Cola, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Coca-Cola wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $511,735!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,140,464!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 946% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 191% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 13, 2026.
Bram Berkowitz has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Realty Income. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

2 Top Dividend Stocks to Buy in March

Key Points
Coca-Cola has gained market enthusiasm for its localized production.
Realty Income is branching out into new industries to expand its opportunities.
Walmart is enjoying strong e-commerce sales.
For many investors, dividend stocks are the anchors of a fully diversified portfolio. They're typically well-established, solid stocks that are reliable for passive income and for weathering market storms. Great dividend stocks raise their dividends annually and should provide value to your portfolio forever.
If you're looking for potential dividend stocks to consider today, I recommend Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), Realty Income (NYSE: O), and Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT). Here's why.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
1. Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a Dividend King, and it has raised its dividend annually for the past 63 years. That's about as reliable as a stock gets. The dividend typically has a high yield of around 3%, but because the stock has been performing so well lately, it's only 2.6%.
That demonstrates how valuable Coca-Cola is as a stock beyond the passive income. Loyal fans buy the company's beverages at all times, giving it resilience under harsh conditions and the ability to keep growing. It owns 32 separate billion-dollar brands, and acquiring new companies that it can develop into its next great brand is one of the ways it continues to grow sales and provide value for shareholders.
The market has been embracing the localized production model that has protected it from the brunt of tariff changes over the past year, which is yet another reason to be confident about the company and its future.
2. Realty Income
Realty Income is one of the largest real estate investment trusts (REITs) in the world, with 15,500 properties globally. It's a retail REIT, leasing properties to many well-known and trusted chain stores that sell essentials and can pay their rent on time. It has a 98.9% occupancy rate, its highest in a while, demonstrating its resilience while the real estate market is under pressure.
It has recently started diversifying into new industries beyond retail, including gaming and industrials, which expand its long-term opportunity. It has ample capital to continue buying new properties, and it's constantly sourcing new, quality properties to keep up its lucrative operating model.
Realty Income has paid a monthly dividend for more than 55 years, and the dividend yields 5% at the current price.
3. Walmart
Walmart is the largest physical retailer in the world (although it recently lost the top spot as the largest company in the world by sales to Amazon). But the market loves its resilience, stability, and consistency, and its stock performance has crushed Amazon, and the S&P 500, over the past five years, up 183% versus 39% for Amazon and 73% for the broader market.
Walmart has more than 5,000 U.S. locations and nearly 11,000 locations worldwide, but it grows in more ways than opening new stores. E-commerce has been a major growth driver recently, up 24% year over year in the 2026 fiscal fourth quarter (ended Jan. 31), and its membership program, Walmart+, is growing quickly.
Walmart is also a Dividend King, having raised its dividend annually for the past 53 years. Its yield is low right now at only 0.8% because the stock has performed so well, but it's a dividend you can rely on.
Should you buy stock in Coca-Cola right now?
Before you buy stock in Coca-Cola, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Coca-Cola wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $511,735!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,140,464!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 946% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 191% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 12, 2026.
Jennifer Saibil has positions in Walmart. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Realty Income, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

3 Dividend Stocks to Buy and Hold Forever

Key Points
All three companies pay consistent dividends.
Coca-Cola and Hormel have increased their dividends for six decades.
Costco's membership retention and international expansion are powering its growth.
Some companies stand the test of time and become synonymous with greatness and excellence. There are three stocks we'll discuss here that meet this standard of success and are worth buying and holding for decades. Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), Costco (NASDAQ: COST), and Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL) are the cream of the consumer staples crop. Consumer staples stocks tend to be defensive and generally offer lower volatility, greater consistency, and solid dividends.
Coca-Cola is still the leader
It's likely that when you hear the phrase "consumer staple," one of the very first brands that pops into your head is Coca-Cola. This beverage giant is one of the most durable and reliable companies in the world. Coca-Cola operates in more than 200 countries and has a portfolio of over 200 beverage brands.
Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »
Coca-Cola is a free cash flow titan, which is largely how it became a Dividend King. A Dividend King is a company that has raised its dividends for more than 50 consecutive years. Coca-Cola is now well into its sixth decade of dividend increases, and its current yield is 2.67%. The company maintains an asset-light business model that keeps costs in check and profitability high.
If you don't believe me and my reasons for owning and keeping Coca-Cola, know that Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway purchased shares back in 1988 and has never sold.
Coca-Cola isn't a high-growth company, but it is still expanding. The company released its full fiscal year 2025 results in February, and organic revenue was up 5%. For the 2026 outlook, Coca-Cola expects much of the same, with a 4% to 5% increase. Mid-single-digit growth and six decades of increasing dividends make this a solid long-term buy-and-hold stock.
Costco competes on high retention and low prices
Yes, the $1.50 hot dog-and-drink combo is enough to get many cost-conscious customers through the door, but the real reason Costco will dominate for decades is its stellar membership model and renewal rate.
Costco stock does trade at a premium, but the company's consistent performance more than justifies it. Not only does Costco provide investors with strong growth, but it also pays regular and special dividends to shareholders. Costco's dividend yield is low at 0.52%, but I prefer Costco for its plan to continue expanding its footprint.
Costco is growing internationally, and its flywheel is impressive. Costco's competitive pricing attracts more members, those members continue to renew, and Costco can keep its prices lower than its competitors'. It's going to be very difficult to beat Costco over the next several years.
Costco has a bit more to offer than Coca-Cola in the way of growth. The company reported an 8.1% increase in net sales in the 2025 fiscal year. For the first two quarters of 2026, Costco improved even more to an 8.7% net sales increase. Costco stock is expensive, but there's a lot to love about its growth and income.
Hormel is quietly consistent
Last, but definitely not least, Hormel Foods is a stock you should buy and hold for a very long time. As another Dividend King, Hormel has paid a consistent dividend for nearly a century and has raised the dividend for 60 years.
Where Costco trades at premium prices, Hormel's stock is quite inexpensive, particularly for a long-term investor. The company has faced headwinds recently, pushing the stock 15% lower over the past 12 months. This price drop has also increased Hormel's dividend yield to 5.0% as of March 10.
Hormel's latest quarterly earnings were cautiously optimistic. The food business reported a 2% increase in net sales, marking its fifth consecutive quarter of net sales growth. Hormel also reaffirmed its 2026 guidance, which could see organic sales growth of 1% to 4%.
Hormel knows how to navigate challenges and will remain a global food leader for the foreseeable future.
These three stocks are great options for a variety of long-term investors. From their business fundamentals to their global brand recognition, Coca-Cola, Costco, and Hormel Foods are worth buying and holding on to for decades.
Should you buy stock in Coca-Cola right now?
Before you buy stock in Coca-Cola, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Coca-Cola wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $511,735!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,140,464!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 946% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 191% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of March 12, 2026.
Catie Hogan has positions in Coca-Cola. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Berkshire Hathaway and Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

The Best 3 Consumer Staples Stocks to Buy and Hold for Decades

Investors in Coca-Cola Co (Symbol: KO) saw new options begin trading today, for the May 1st expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the KO options chain for the new May 1st contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest.
The put contract at the $77.00 strike price has a current bid of $1.68. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $77.00, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $75.32 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of KO, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $77.59/share today.
Because the $77.00 strike represents an approximate 1% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 56%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 2.18% return on the cash commitment, or 15.93% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost.
Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for Coca-Cola Co, and highlighting in green where the $77.00 strike is located relative to that history:
Turning to the calls side of the option chain, the call contract at the $78.00 strike price has a current bid of $1.59. If an investor was to purchase shares of KO stock at the current price level of $77.59/share, and then sell-to-open that call contract as a "covered call," they are committing to sell the stock at $78.00. Considering the call seller will also collect the premium, that would drive a total return (excluding dividends, if any) of 2.58% if the stock gets called away at the May 1st expiration (before broker commissions). Of course, a lot of upside could potentially be left on the table if KO shares really soar, which is why looking at the trailing twelve month trading history for Coca-Cola Co, as well as studying the business fundamentals becomes important. Below is a chart showing KO's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $78.00 strike highlighted in red:
Considering the fact that the $78.00 strike represents an approximate 1% premium to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the covered call contract would expire worthless, in which case the investor would keep both their shares of stock and the premium collected. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 51%. On our website under the contract detail page for this contract, Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change and publish a chart of those numbers (the trading history of the option contract will also be charted). Should the covered call contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 2.05% boost of extra return to the investor, or 14.96% annualized, which we refer to as the YieldBoost.
The implied volatility in the put contract example is 20%, while the implied volatility in the call contract example is 18%.
Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 251 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $77.59) to be 17%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Also see:
Institutional Holders of VOLT
Top Ten Hedge Funds Holding TLSI
AL shares outstanding history
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Coca-Cola Company (The)

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