Longest-Running Dividend Payers Ride Out Every Recession

A group of stalwart dividend-paying stocks has defied every US recession since 1972, and possibly even longer.

Five companies stand out for their uninterrupted histories of raising dividends: Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO), Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL), and PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP).

Their dividend streaks, some spanning over 60 years, speak to a fundamental resilience in their business models. For instance, Procter & Gamble has raised its payout for 70 consecutive years and 136 years of continuous payments, making it one of the longest-running dividend payers.

Johnson & Johnson, with a 64-year streak, benefits from its pharma business, which is inelastic across cycles. Coca-Cola's 63-year raise streak is bolstered by its concentrate model, producing substantial free cash flow.

The common thread among these companies is pricing power on products that consumers refuse to give up during hard times.