Article updated on May 1st, 2026 by Bob Ciura
Spreadsheet data updated daily
The Dividend Aristocrats are a select group of 69 S&P 500 stocks with 25+ years of consecutive dividend increases.
They are the ‘best of the best’ dividend growth stocks. The Dividend Aristocrats have a long history of outperforming the market.
The requirements to be a Dividend Aristocrat are:
- Be in the S&P 500
- Have 25+ consecutive years of dividend increases
- Meet certain minimum size & liquidity requirements
There are currently 69 Dividend Aristocrats. You can download an Excel spreadsheet of all 69 (with metrics that matter such as dividend yields and price-to-earnings ratios) by clicking the link below:
Disclaimer: Sure Dividend is not affiliated with S&P Global in any way. S&P Global owns and maintains The Dividend Aristocrats Index. The information in this article and downloadable spreadsheet is based on Sure Dividend’s own review, summary, and analysis of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL) and other sources, and is meant to help individual investors better understand this ETF and the index upon which it is based. None of the information in this article or spreadsheet is official data from S&P Global. Consult S&P Global for official information.
Note 1: On January 24th, 2025, Erie Indemnity (ERIE), Eversource Energy (ES), and FactSet Research System (FDS) were added to the list with no deletions, leaving 69 Dividend Aristocrats.
Source: S&P News Releases.
You can see detailed analysis on all 69 further below in this article, in our Dividend Aristocrats In Focus Series. Analysis includes valuation, growth, and competitive advantage(s).
Table of Contents
- How To Use The Dividend Aristocrats List To Find Dividend Investment Ideas
- Performance of the Dividend Aristocrats
- Sector Overview
- The 10 Best Dividend Aristocrats Now
- Dividend Aristocrats Analysis (The Dividend Aristocrats In Focus Series)
- Historical Dividend Aristocrats List (1989 – 2026)
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final Thoughts
How to Use The Dividend Aristocrats List To Find Dividend Investment Ideas
The downloadable Dividend Aristocrats Excel Spreadsheet List above contains the following for each stock in the index:
- Price-to-earnings ratio
- Dividend yield
- Market capitalization
All Dividend Aristocrats are high-quality businesses based on their long dividend histories. A company cannot pay rising dividends for 25+ years without having a strong and durable competitive advantage.
But not all Dividend Aristocrats make equally good investments today. That’s where the spreadsheet in this article comes into play. You can use the Dividend Aristocrats spreadsheet to quickly find quality dividend investment ideas.
The list of all Dividend Aristocrats is valuable because it gives you a concise list of all S&P 500 stocks with 25+ consecutive years of dividend increases (that also meet certain minimum size and liquidity requirements).
These are businesses that have both the desire and ability to pay shareholders rising dividends year-after-year. This is a rare combination.
Together, these two criteria are powerful – but they are not enough. Value must be considered as well.
The spreadsheet above allows you to sort by trailing price-to-earnings ratio so you can quickly find undervalued, high-quality dividend stocks.
Here’s how to use the Dividend Aristocrats list to quickly find high-quality dividend growth stocks potentially trading at a discount:
- Download the list
- Sort by ‘Trailing PE Ratio,’ smallest to largest
- Research the top stocks further
Here’s how to do this quickly in the spreadsheet:
Step 1: Download the list, and open it.
Step 2: Apply a filter function to each column in the spreadsheet.
Step 3: Click on the small gray down arrow next to ‘Trailing P/E Ratio’, and then sort smallest to largest.
Step 4: Review the highest ranked Dividend Aristocrats before investing. You can see detailed analysis on every Dividend Aristocrat found below in this article.
That’s it; you can follow the same procedure to sort by any other metric in the spreadsheet.
Performance Of The Dividend Aristocrats
In April 2026, the Dividend Aristocrats, as measured by the Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL), registered a total return of 2.2%. It under-performed the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) for the month.
- NOBL generated returns of 2.2% in April 2026
- SPY generated returns of 10.5% in April 2026
Short-term performance is mostly noise. Performance should be measured over a minimum of 3 years, and preferably longer periods of time.
The Dividend Aristocrats Index has slightly under-performed the broader market index over the last decade, with a 9.78% total annual return for the Dividend Aristocrats and a 15.16% total annual return for the S&P 500 Index.
But the Dividend Aristocrats have exhibited lower risk than the benchmark, as measured by standard deviation.
Source: S&P Fact Sheet
Higher total returns with lower volatility is the ‘holy grail’ of investing. It is worth exploring the characteristics of the Dividend Aristocrats in detail to determine why they have performed so well.
Note that a good portion of the outperformance relative to the S&P 500 comes during recessions (2000 – 2002, 2008). Dividend Aristocrats have historically seen smaller drawdowns during recessions versus the S&P 500. This makes holding through recessions that much easier.
Case-in-point: In 2008 the Dividend Aristocrats Index declined 22%. That same year, the S&P 500 declined 38%.
Great businesses with strong competitive advantages tend to be able to generate stronger cash flows during recessions. This allows them to gain market share while weaker businesses fight to stay alive.
We believe dividend paying stocks outperform non-dividend paying stocks for three reasons:
- A company that pays dividends is likely to be generating earnings or cash flows so that it can pay dividends to shareholders. This excludes ‘pre-earnings’ start-ups and failing businesses. In short, it excludes the riskiest stocks.
- A business that pays consistent dividends must be more selective with the growth projects it takes on because a portion of its cash flows are being paid out as dividends. Scrutinizing over capital allocation decisions likely adds to shareholder value.
- Stocks that pay dividends are willing to reward shareholders with cash payments. This is a sign that management is shareholder friendly.
In our view, Dividend Aristocrats have historically outperformed the market and other dividend paying stocks because they are, on average, higher-quality businesses.
A high-quality business should outperform a mediocre business over a long period of time, all other things being equal.
For a business to increase its dividends for 25+ consecutive years, it must have or at least had in the very recent past a strong competitive advantage.
Sector Overview
A sector breakdown of the Dividend Aristocrats Index is shown below:
The Dividend Aristocrats Index is tilted toward Consumer Staples and Industrials relative to the S&P 500. These 2 sectors make up over 40% of the Dividend Aristocrats Index, but less than 20% of the S&P 500.
The Dividend Aristocrats Index is also significantly underweight the Information Technology sector, with a ~3% allocation compared with over 20% allocation within the S&P 500.
The Dividend Aristocrat Index is filled with stable ‘old economy’ blue chip consumer products businesses and manufacturers; the Coca-Cola’s (KO), and Johnson & Johnson’s (JNJ) of the investing world.
These ‘boring’ businesses aren’t likely to generate 20%+ earnings-per-share growth, but they also are very unlikely to see large earnings drawdowns as well.
The 10 Best Dividend Aristocrats Now
This research report examines the 10 best Dividend Aristocrats from our Sure Analysis Research Database with the highest 5-year forward expected total returns.
Dividend Aristocrat #10: Abbott Laboratories (ABT)
- 5-year Expected Annual Returns: 15.3%
Abbott Laboratories, founded in 1888, is one of the largest medical appliances & equipment manufacturers in the world, comprised of four segments: Nutrition, Diagnostics, Established Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices.
Abbott Laboratories provides products in over 160 countries and employs 114,000 people. The company generated $44 billion in sales in 2025.
On December 12th, 2025, Abbott Laboratories raised its quarterly dividend 6.8% to $0.63, extending the company’s dividend growth streak to 54 years.
On January 22nd, 2026, Abbott Laboratories released fourth quarter and full year results for the period ending December 31st, 2025. For the quarter, revenue grew 4.5% to $11.46 billion, but this missed estimates by $340 million.
Adjusted earnings-per-share of $1.50 compared to $1.34 in the prior year and was $0.01 better than expected. For the year, revenue grew 5.7% to $44.3 billion while adjusted earnings-per-share of $5.15 compared to $4.67 in 2024.
For Q4, U.S. sales grew 0.9% while international was higher by 6.7%. Currency exchange was a 1.4% headwind for the period.
Abbott Laboratories provided guidance for 2026 as well, with the company expecting adjusted earnings-per-share in a range of $5.55 to $5.80 for the year. At the midpoint, this would represent growth of 10.3% from 2025.
Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on ABT (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):
Dividend Aristocrat #9: PPG Industries (PPG)
- 5-year Expected Annual Returns: 16.0%
PPG Industries is the world’s largest paints and coatings company. Its only competitors of similar size are Sherwin-Williams and Dutch paint company Akzo Nobel.
On January 27th, 2026, PPG Industries announced fourth quarter and full year results. For the quarter, revenue grew 4.8% to $3.91 billion, which topped estimates by $140 million. Adjusted earnings-per-share of $1.51 compared unfavorably to $1.61 in the prior year and was $0.07 less than expected.
For the year, revenue grew 0.6% to $15.9 billion while adjusted earnings-per-share of $7.58 was down from $7.87 in 2024. Organic growth was 3% for the quarter and 2% for the year.
For the quarter, revenue for Global Architectural Coatings, which was formerly part of Performance Coatings, grew 8% to $951 million.
Growth was driven by higher prices and a benefit from foreign currency translation. Volume was unchanged and divestitures reduced results by 3%.
Once again, Latin America and Asia Pacific performed well during the period as organic growth improved by a high single-digit figure.
Performance Coatings grew 5% to $1.32 billion as higher prices and favorable currency exchange was only partially offset by a 1% decline in volume.
Aerospace had record fourth quarter sales and future gains should be supported by a $315 million increase in the backlog. Automotive was weak, with sales decreasing by a high single-digit percentage.
Revenue for Industrial Coatings improved 3% to $1.64 billion. Volume grew 5%, but this was offset by slightly weaker pricing and divestitures. Automotive OEMs posted another quarter of growth as this segment outpaced the global automotive industry.
PPG Industries repurchased ~$100 million worth of shares during Q4 and retired ~$790 million worth of stock during 2025.
Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on PPG (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):
Dividend Aristocrat #8: Clorox Co. (CLX)
- 5-year Expected Annual Returns: 16.1%
Clorox is a manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products, spanning a wide array of categories from charcoal to cleaning supplies to salad dressing.
More than 80% of its revenue comes from products that are #1 or #2 in their categories across the globe, helping Clorox produce more than $7 billion in annual revenue.
The company also boasts an outstanding dividend increase streak of 48 consecutive years.
Clorox posted second quarter earnings on February 3rd, 2026, and results were mixed. The company saw $1.39 in adjusted earnings-per-share, which missed estimates by four cents.
Revenue was off 1.2% year-on-year to $1.67 billion, which beat expectations by $30 million. Management noted pricing was roughly flat in total, but household products pricing was weak. EBIT margins were 5.3% of revenue for the quarter.
For the year, the company is now expecting roughly flat revenue and some cost savings. We have slightly reduced our estimate of earnings for this year to $5.90 in adjusted earnings-per-share.
Separately, the company announced in January it was acquiring GOJO Industries, a manufacturer of hand hygiene and skin care products, for $2.25 billion in cash.
Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on CLX (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):
Dividend Aristocrat #7: Hormel Foods (HRL)
- 5-year Expected Annual Returns: 16.3%
Hormel Foods was founded in 1891 in Minnesota. Since that time, the company has grown into a juggernaut in the food products industry with about $12.3 billion in annual revenue.
Hormel has kept its core competency as a processor of meat products for well over a hundred years but has also grown into other business lines through acquisitions.
The company sells its products in 80 countries worldwide, and its brands include Skippy, SPAM, Applegate, Justin’s, and more than 30 others.
Hormel posted first quarter earnings on February 26th, 2026, and results were mixed. The company posted slightly higher revenue at +1.3% year-over-year, totaling $3.03 billion. That missed expectations by $30 million.
Adjusted earnings-per-share came to 34 cents, which was two cents better than estimates.
Management noted gross profit was weak enough to offset top line growth as higher input costs and logistics expenses were worse than expected.
Adjusted SG&A was comparable to the year-ago period as a percentage of revenue, as higher employee and legal expenses were offset by reductions in marketing and advertising.
Adjusted operating income was $247 million, while adjusted operating margin was 8.2% of revenue for the quarter.
Cash flow from operations was $349 million, rising about $26 million year-over-year.
Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on HRL (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):
Dividend Aristocrat #6: Becton Dickinson & Co. (BDX)
- 5-year Expected Annual Returns: 17.3%
Becton, Dickinson & Co. is a global leader in the medical supply industry. The company was founded in 1897 and has 75,000 employees across 190 countries.
The company generates about $20 billion in annual revenue, with approximately 43% of revenues coming from outside of the U.S.
On November 6th, 2025, BD increased its quarterly dividend 1.0% to $1.05, extending the company’s dividend growth streak to 54 consecutive years.
BD also announced results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, which ended December 31st, 2026. For the quarter, revenue improved 1.5% to $5.25 billion, which topped estimates by $100 million.
Adjusted earnings-per-share of $2.91 compared unfavorably to $3.43 in the prior year, but this was $0.10 more than expected.
For the quarter, Medical Essentials was down 0.6% on a currency neutral basis to $1.6 billion as gains in U.S. Vascular Access Management and the BD Vacutainer portfolio were more than offset by order timing in China.
Connected Care grew 4.7% to $1.13 billion due to growth in Pharmacy Automation and strength in Advanced Patient Monitoring.
BioPharma was up 1% to $429 million due to double-digit growth in Biologics. Interventional climbed 5.1% to $1.33 billion, mostly due to higher demand for the PureWick franchise and Advanced Tissue Regeneration.
Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on BDX (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):
Dividend Aristocrat #5: Automatic Data Processing (ADP)
- 5-year Expected Annual Returns: 19.5%
Automatic Data Processing is one of the largest business services outsourcing companies in the world. The company provides payroll services, human resources technology, and other business operations to more than 700,000 corporate customers.
ADP posted second quarter earnings on January 28th, 2026, and results were better than expected on both the top and bottom lines.
Adjusted earnings-per-share came to $2.62, which was a nickel ahead of estimates, and was up from $2.49 in Q1, and from $2.35 in the year-ago period. Revenue was up 7.2% year-over-year to $5.36 billion, beating estimates by $20 million.
Expenses came to $4.08 billion, which was higher from $3.98 billion in Q1 and $3.88 billion a year earlier. Adjusted EBIT margin was 26.0% of revenue, up from 25.5% in Q1 and from 25.2% a year ago.
The company guided for revenue growth of 6% for this year, adjusted EBIT margin of ~60 basis points, and adjusted diluted earnings-per-share growth of 9% to 10%.
Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on ADP (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):
Dividend Aristocrat #4: S&P Global (SPGI)
- 5-year Expected Annual Returns: 19.8%
S&P Global is a worldwide provider of financial services and business information with revenue of about $16.5 billion.
Through its various segments, it provides credit ratings, benchmarks and indices, analytics, and other data to commodity market participants, capital markets, and automotive markets.
S&P Global has paid dividends continuously since 1937 and has increased its payout for 53 consecutive years.
S&P posted fourth quarter and full-year earnings on February 10th, 2026, and results were mixed. The company beat revenue estimates slightly, with the top line rising 9.2% year-over-year to $3.92 billion, $10 million better than expected.
Earnings, however, came to $4.30 per share on an adjusted basis, missing estimates by four cents. Management noted top line growth was strong in all divisions, as revenue from subscription products rose 8% year-over-year.
Earnings were off from $4.73 per share in Q3, but higher year-over-year from $3.77 in last year’s Q4.
Expenses were $2.51 billion, much higher from Q3 and the year-ago period, which were $2.22 billion and $2.33 billion, respectively. Still, that was good enough for operating margin to expand to 47.3% of revenue from 43.6% a year earlier.
Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on SPGI (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):
Dividend Aristocrat #3: Amcor plc (AMCR)
- 5-year Expected Annual Returns: 20.8%
Amcor plc is one of the world’s most prominent designers and manufacturers of packaging for food, pharmaceutical, medical, and other consumer products.
The company emphasizes making responsible packaging that is lightweight, recyclable, and reusable.
Amcor reported its second quarter results for Fiscal Year 2026 on February 3rd, 2026. The company reported strong fiscal Q2 2026 results, with net sales of $5.45 billion, up 68% year-over-year, largely driven by the Berry Global acquisition.
Adjusted profitability improved significantly, with adjusted EBITDA rising 83% to $826 million and adjusted EBIT increasing 66% to $603 million, while adjusted EPS grew 7% to $0.86.
GAAP net income was $177 million ($0.38 per share) due to acquisition-related costs, and free cash flow totaled $289 million after approximately $69 million in integration and restructuring expenses.
For the first half of fiscal 2026, net sales reached $11.19 billion, up 70% year-over-year, reflecting $4.5 billion of acquired sales from the Berry combination.
Adjusted EBITDA increased 89% to $1.74 billion, while adjusted EBIT rose 77% to $1.29 billion. Adjusted net income totaled $848 million, with adjusted EPS of $1.83, up 14%, highlighting strong operational performance and early synergy realization from the acquisition.
Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on AMCR (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):
Dividend Aristocrat #2: Brown & Brown (BRO)
- 5-year Expected Annual Returns: 23.6%
Brown & Brown Inc. is a leading insurance brokerage firm that provides risk management solutions to both individuals and businesses, with a focus on property & casualty insurance. Brown & Brown has a notably high level of insider ownership.
Brown & Brown posted fourth quarter and full-year earnings on January 27th, 2026, and results were mixed. Earnings-per-share came to 93 cents, which was 29 cents ahead of estimates.
Revenue was $1.6 billion, up 36% year-over-year but missing estimates by $50 million. Organic revenue was actually down 3%, with growth in revenue coming entirely from acquisitions.
Management noted flood claims processing revenue that was recognized in the year-ago period as negatively impacting revenue this time.
EBITDAC margin on an adjusted basis was 32.9% of revenue, flat to a year earlier. Adjusted earnings-per-share rose 8%.
Cash flow from operations was $1.45 billion for the year, up 24% from 2024. Adjusted EBITDAC was $529 million.
Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on BRO (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):
Dividend Aristocrat #1: Factset Research Systems (FDS)
- 5-year Expected Annual Returns: 27.7%
FactSet Research Systems, a financial data and analytics firm founded in 1978, provides integrated financial information and analytical tools to the investment community in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific.
The company provides insight and information through research, analytics, trading workflow solutions, content and technology solutions, and wealth management.
On March 31st, 2026, FactSet Research Systems announced Q2 2026 results, reporting non-GAAP EPS of $4.46 for the period, which beat market consensus by $0.08.
Revenue grew 7.1% to $611 million. Organic revenue growth held at 6.8%, while Annual Subscription Value (ASV) a key gauge of recurring demand reached roughly $2.45 billion, up 6.7% from a year ago.
Operating margins narrowed, with GAAP margin slipping to 30.3% and adjusted margin to 35.0%, primarily due to higher compensation and ongoing technology investments.
Free cash flow jumped 23% year over year, giving FactSet flexibility to continue buybacks and reinvestment.
Management also raised its full-year outlook, now guiding for revenue between $2.45 billion and $2.47 billion.
Click here to download our most recent Sure Analysis report on FDS (preview of page 1 of 3 shown below):
The Dividend Aristocrats In Focus Analysis Series
You can see analysis on every single Dividend Aristocrat below. Each is sorted by GICS sectors and listed in alphabetical order by name. The newest Sure Analysis Research Database report for each security is included as well.
Consumer Staples
- Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Amcor (AMCR) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Brown-Forman (BF-B) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Colgate-Palmolive (CL) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Church & Dwight (CHD) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Clorox (CLX) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Coca-Cola (KO) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Hormel Foods (HRL) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- J.M. Smucker (SJM) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Kimberly-Clark (KMB) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- McCormick & Company (MKC) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- PepsiCo (PEP) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Procter & Gamble (PG) [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Sysco Corporation (SYY) [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Walmart (WMT) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
Industrials
- Automatic Data Processing (ADP) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- A.O. Smith (AOS) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- C.H. Robinson Worldwide (CHRW) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Cintas (CTAS) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Dover (DOV) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Emerson Electric (EMR) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Expeditors International (EXPD) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Fastenal Co. (FAST) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Illinois Tool Works (ITW) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Nordson Corporation (NDSN) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Pentair (PNR) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Roper Technologies (ROP) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- W.W. Grainger (GWW) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- General Dynamics (GD) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Caterpillar (CAT) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
Health Care
- Abbott Laboratories (ABT) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- AbbVie (ABBV) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Becton, Dickinson & Company (BDX) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Cardinal Health (CAH) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Kenvue Inc. (KVUE) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Medtronic (MDT) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- West Pharmaceutical Services (WST) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
Consumer Discretionary
- Genuine Parts Company (GPC) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Lowe’s Companies (LOW) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- McDonald’s (MCD) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Target (TGT) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
Financials
- Aflac (AFL) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Brown & Brown (BRO) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Cincinnati Financial (CINF) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Erie Indemnity (ERIE) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- FactSet Research Systems (FDS) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Franklin Resources (BEN) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- S&P Global (SPGI) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- T. Rowe Price Group (TROW) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Chubb (CB) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
Materials
- Air Products and Chemicals (APD) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Albemarle (ALB) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Ecolab (ECL) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- PPG Industries (PPG) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Sherwin-Williams (SHW) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Nucor (NUE) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Linde (LIN) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
Energy
- Chevron (CVX) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Exxon Mobil (XOM) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Eversource Energy (ES) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
Information Technology
Real Estate
- Essex Property Trust (ESS) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Realty Income (O) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
Utilities
- Atmos Energy (ATO) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- Consolidated Edison (ED) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
- NextEra Energy (NEE) | [See newest Sure Analysis report]
Historical Dividend Aristocrats List
(1989 – 2026)
The image below shows the history of the Dividend Aristocrats Index from 1989 through 2026.
Note: CL, GPC, and NUE were all removed and re-added to the Dividend Aristocrats Index through the historical period analyzed above. We are unsure as to why. Companies created via a spin-off (like AbbVie) can be Dividend Aristocrats with less than 25 years of rising dividends if the parent company was a Dividend Aristocrat.
Disclaimer: Sure Dividend is not affiliated with S&P Global in any way. S&P Global owns and maintains The Dividend Aristocrats Index. The information in this article and downloadable spreadsheet and image below is based on Sure Dividend’s own review, summary, and analysis of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL) and other sources, and is meant to help individual investors better understand this ETF and the index upon which it is based. None of the information in this article or spreadsheet is official data from S&P Global. Consult S&P Global for official information.
This information was compiled from the following sources:
- 1989 – 1991: Dividend Growth Investor
- 1992 – 2015: NOBL Index Historical Constituents
- 2016: Sure Dividend update
- 2017 – 2026: Data from S&P press releases and tracking dividends
Frequently Asked Questions
This section will address some of most common questions investors have regarding the Dividend Aristocrats.
1. What is the highest-paying Dividend Aristocrat?
Answer: Amcor currently yields 6.8%.
2. What is the difference between the Dividend Aristocrats and the Dividend Kings?
Answer: The Dividend Aristocrats must be constituents of the S&P 500 Index, have raised their dividends for at least 25 consecutive years, and satisfy a number of liquidity requirements.
The Dividend Kings only need to have raised their dividends for at least 50 consecutive years.
3. Is there an ETF that tracks the Dividend Aristocrats?
Answer: Yes, the Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL) is an exchange-traded fund that specifically holds the Dividend Aristocrats.
4. What is the difference between the Dividend Aristocrats and the Dividend Champions?
Answer: The Dividend Aristocrats and Dividend Champions share one requirement, which is that a company must have raised its dividend for at least 25 consecutive years.
But like the Dividend Kings, the Dividend Champions do not need to be in the S&P 500 Index, nor satisfy the various liquidity requirements.
5. Which Dividend Aristocrat has the longest active streak of annual dividend increases?
Currently, there are two Dividend Aristocrats tied at 70 years: Genuine Parts and Dover Corporation.
6. What is the average dividend yield of the Dividend Aristocrats?
Right now, the average dividend yield of the Dividend Aristocrats is 2.1%.
7. Are the Dividend Aristocrats safe investments?
While there are never any guarantees when it comes to the stock market, we believe the Dividend Aristocrats are among the safest dividend stocks when it comes to the sustainability of their dividend payouts.
The Dividend Aristocrats have durable competitive advantages that allow them to raise their dividends each year, even during a recession.
Other Dividend Lists & Final Thoughts
The Dividend Aristocrats list is not the only way to quickly screen for stocks that regularly pay rising dividends.
- The Dividend Kings List is even more exclusive than the Dividend Aristocrats. It is comprised of 58 stocks with 50+ years of consecutive dividend increases.
- The Blue Chip Stocks List: stocks that qualify as Dividend Achievers, Dividend Aristocrats, and/or Dividend Kings
- The High Dividend Stocks List: stocks that appeal to investors interested in the highest yields of 5% or more.
- The Monthly Dividend Stocks List: stocks that pay dividends every month, for 12 dividend payments per year.
There is nothing magical about the Dividend Aristocrats. They are ‘just’ a collection of high-quality shareholder friendly stocks that have strong competitive advantages.
Purchasing these types of stocks at fair or better prices and holding for the long-run will likely result in favorable long-term performance.















