These 10 companies are famous for paying dividends. This is a list to research, not a list to buy: each one's record, its main risk and how to check it yourself.
Best for: Studying a very long record of dividend raises
The drinks company raised its dividend for the 64th year in a row in February 2026, to 53 US cents a share each quarter.
More about Coca-Cola (KO)
Good
64 yearly dividend raises in a row (February 2026)
Global brands sold in most countries
Watch out
A slow-growing business, so raises are usually small
Tastes and rules on sugary drinks can change
A long record doesn't promise future raises
Available in
Listed in New York (NYSE: KO).
Costs
No cost to research. To buy, your broker's trading and currency fees apply. Dividends are usually taxed, and non-US residents often have US tax taken off first.
Platforms
Any broker that offers US-listed shares
Last checked
2026-10
2. McDonald's (MCD)
Best for: A restaurant business with a 50-year dividend record
McDonald's has raised its dividend every year since its first payment in 1976. In September 2026 it announced its 50th yearly raise in a row, lifting the quarterly dividend 4% to $1.93 a share.
More about McDonald's (MCD)
Good
50 yearly raises in a row (September 2026)
Most restaurants are run by franchisees who pay McDonald's rent and fees
Watch out
Sales depend on consumer spending, which can fall in hard times
The share price can fall even in a year the dividend rises
Available in
Listed in New York (NYSE: MCD).
Costs
No cost to research. To buy, your broker's trading and currency fees apply. Dividends are usually taxed, and non-US residents often have US tax taken off first.
Platforms
Any broker that offers US-listed shares
Last checked
2026-10
3. IBM (IBM)
Best for: A tech company with a long dividend record
IBM raised its quarterly dividend to $1.69 a share in April 2026. The company says it was the 31st year in a row with a raise.
More about IBM (IBM)
Good
31 yearly raises in a row (April 2026)
A long history as a dividend payer
Watch out
Tech changes fast, and rivals can win customers
Recent raises have been small
Check that cash flow, not just profit, covers the dividend
Available in
Listed in New York (NYSE: IBM).
Costs
No cost to research. To buy, your broker's trading and currency fees apply. Dividends are usually taxed, and non-US residents often have US tax taken off first.
Platforms
Any broker that offers US-listed shares
Last checked
2026-10
4. Altria (MO)
Best for: Seeing why a very high yield needs extra checks
The Marlboro maker in the US raised its quarterly dividend to $1.11 a share in August 2026. Altria says it was its 61st raise in 57 years.
More about Altria (MO)
Good
61 dividend raises in the past 57 years (August 2026)
Clear dividend announcements
Watch out
US cigarette sales have been falling for years
Health and legal risks are part of the business
Its high yield partly reflects those risks
Available in
Listed in New York (NYSE: MO).
Costs
No cost to research. To buy, your broker's trading and currency fees apply. Dividends are usually taxed, and non-US residents often have US tax taken off first.
Platforms
Any broker that offers US-listed shares
Last checked
2026-10
5. Shell (SHEL)
Best for: Learning that big companies can cut dividends
In April 2020 Shell cut its dividend by about two-thirds, from 47 to 16 US cents a share, its first cut since the Second World War. In May 2026 it raised the quarterly dividend 5%, to about 39 cents.
More about Shell (SHEL)
Good
One of the world's biggest energy companies
Has raised its dividend since the 2020 cut, including 5% in May 2026
Listed in London and New York
Watch out
Oil and gas prices swing, and profits swing with them
Cut its dividend by about two-thirds in 2020
In May 2026 the dividend was still below its pre-2020 level
Available in
Listed in London (SHEL) and New York (NYSE: SHEL). Formerly Royal Dutch Shell.
Costs
No cost to research. To buy, your broker's trading and currency fees apply. Dividends are usually taxed, and non-US residents often have US tax taken off first.
Platforms
Any broker that offers US-listed shares
Last checked
2026-10
6. Starbucks (SBUX)
Best for: A popular brand to check: does profit cover the dividend?
The coffee chain pays a dividend every quarter. In July 2026 it declared 62 US cents a share.
More about Starbucks (SBUX)
Good
Well-known global brand
Dividend history is public on its investor website
Watch out
Coffee chains face rising costs and strong competition
Check that earnings cover the dividend, especially in a weak year
Available in
Listed in New York (Nasdaq: SBUX).
Costs
No cost to research. To buy, your broker's trading and currency fees apply. Dividends are usually taxed, and non-US residents often have US tax taken off first.
Platforms
Any broker that offers US-listed shares
Last checked
2026-10
7. Main Street Capital (MAIN)
Best for: Understanding monthly dividends
Main Street lends to and invests in smaller private companies. It pays a regular dividend every month, $0.265 a share for October to December 2026, plus some extra supplemental dividends.
More about Main Street Capital (MAIN)
Good
Pays a regular dividend every month
Says it has never reduced its regular monthly dividend (August 2026)
Extra supplemental dividends in some quarters
Watch out
Smaller companies can struggle to repay loans in a recession
Supplemental dividends can shrink or stop
Its dividends may be taxed differently from ordinary company dividends
Available in
Listed in New York (NYSE: MAIN).
Costs
No cost to research. To buy, your broker's trading and currency fees apply. Dividends are usually taxed, and non-US residents often have US tax taken off first.
Platforms
Any broker that offers US-listed shares
Last checked
2026-10
8. STAG Industrial (STAG)
Best for: Seeing how dividend schedules can change
STAG owns warehouses and factories that it rents to businesses. In January 2026 it switched from monthly to quarterly dividends and raised its yearly rate from $1.49 to $1.55 a share.
More about STAG Industrial (STAG)
Good
Raised its dividend in January 2026
Rent comes from many business tenants
A way to own property without buying a building
Watch out
No longer pays monthly, though older lists still say it does
Property values and borrowing costs move with interest rates
In the US, REIT dividends are often taxed as ordinary income
Available in
Listed in New York (NYSE: STAG).
Costs
No cost to research. To buy, your broker's trading and currency fees apply. Dividends are usually taxed, and non-US residents often have US tax taken off first.
Platforms
Any broker that offers US-listed shares
Last checked
2026-10
9. Prudential Financial (PRU)
Best for: An insurance company to compare with the others
The US insurer and investment manager declared a quarterly dividend of $1.40 a share in August 2026. It is not the same company as the UK's Prudential plc.
More about Prudential Financial (PRU)
Good
A large, long-established US insurer
Dividend announcements are easy to find
Watch out
Insurance results move with markets and interest rates
Easy to confuse with Prudential plc, a different company
Financial companies need different checks than shops or factories
Available in
Listed in New York (NYSE: PRU).
Costs
No cost to research. To buy, your broker's trading and currency fees apply. Dividends are usually taxed, and non-US residents often have US tax taken off first.
Platforms
Any broker that offers US-listed shares
Last checked
2026-10
10. Omnicom (OMC)
Best for: Seeing how a big merger can affect a dividend
The advertising group raised its quarterly dividend from 70 to 80 US cents a share in November 2025, on the day it completed its takeover of rival Interpublic.
More about Omnicom (OMC)
Good
Raised its quarterly dividend to 80 cents in November 2025
One of the world's largest advertising groups
Watch out
Merging two big companies is hard and can bring surprises
Advertising budgets are often cut in hard times
Check that cash flow still covers the dividend after the merger
Available in
Listed in New York (NYSE: OMC).
Costs
No cost to research. To buy, your broker's trading and currency fees apply. Dividends are usually taxed, and non-US residents often have US tax taken off first.
Platforms
Any broker that offers US-listed shares
Last checked
2026-10
Which dividend stocks are on this list?
These 10 companies are among the best-known payers. We chose them because they have long dividend records, or because they show a lesson every beginner should see.
Long records of raises: Coca-Cola (64 years in a row), McDonald's (50), IBM (31) and Altria (61 raises in 57 years).
A dividend cut: Shell cut its dividend by about two-thirds in 2020.
Monthly payments: Main Street Capital pays every month. STAG Industrial switched from monthly to quarterly in 2026.
Others to study: Starbucks, Prudential Financial and Omnicom.
What is a dividend yield?
A dividend is cash a company pays to its shareholders, usually every quarter. The compares one year of dividends with the share price.
The price changes every day, so the yield changes every day too. That's why we don't print yields on this page. They would be out of date by tomorrow. Your broker shows the current one.
The yield is only part of your result. Your adds the dividends to the change in the share price. If you buy at $50, collect $3 in dividends and the price ends at $44, you are down $3 in total, or 6%.
Now see what happens to the yield when the price falls.
Try it yourself
Push the share price down
Drag the slider so the share price falls while the dividend stays $2. Watch the yield. Then switch on "Company cuts the dividend".
A $50 share paying $2 a year yields 4%. If the price falls 50% to $25 and the dividend stays $2, the yield doubles to 8%. If the company then cuts the dividend 50% to $1, the yield is back to 4%, and your income has halved.
What would you expect?
What this shows: The yield doubled from 4% to 8% only because the price halved. If the dividend is then cut in half, the yield falls back to 4%.
A very high yield often means investors expect trouble. Before you trust the number, check whether profit and cash flow cover the dividend.
Why can a high yield be a warning sign?
When a share price falls, the yield goes up, even if nothing good happened. Investors may be selling because they expect a dividend cut.
So check whether the company can afford its dividend. Two numbers help:
: dividends divided by profit. If a company earns $5 a share and pays $2, it pays out 40%. Above 100%, it pays more than it earns.
Cash flow: the cash the business brings in, minus what it must spend on buildings and equipment. Dividends are paid in cash, not in profit.
Shell is a real example. In April 2020, oil prices crashed during the pandemic. Shell cut its dividend by about two-thirds, from 47 to 16 US cents a share. It was its first cut since the Second World War. By May 2026 it had raised the dividend to about 39 cents a quarter, still below the old level.
What does a long dividend record tell you?
Some companies have raised their dividend every year for decades. Investors call a company with 50 or more yearly raises in a row a . It's a nickname, not an official title.
On this list, Coca-Cola raised its dividend for the 64th year in a row in February 2026. McDonald's has raised it every year since its first dividend in 1976. In September 2026 it announced its 50th raise in a row, which makes it a Dividend King too. Altria has raised its dividend 61 times in 57 years, so not every single year.
A long record shows a habit and a board that cares about the dividend. It doesn't promise the next raise. Dividends change in other ways too. STAG Industrial paid every month until 2026, when it switched to paying every quarter.
The 2022 version of this page also named Shaw Communications as a monthly payer. Rogers bought Shaw in April 2023, and its shares stopped trading.
How do you check a dividend yourself?
Go to the company's investor website and find its latest dividend announcement.
Write down the amount per share, the payment date and the .
Open the latest yearly report, such as the 10-K for US companies, and find profit and cash flow.
Work out the payout ratio and compare it with past years.
Read the risks section. Every company lists what could hurt its business.
In the US, you generally need to buy before the ex-dividend date to get the next payment. If you buy on or after that date, the seller gets it. The SEC's guide to ex-dividend dates explains the details.
Owning a few different companies spreads your risk. But different names don't always mean different risks. Three energy companies can all suffer in the same oil crash.
Look at what drives each business: oil prices, shoppers' spending, interest rates or advertising budgets. On this list, those drivers are quite different, which is one reason we picked these 10. A fund that holds many dividend payers is another way to spread risk. Our guide to diversifying your portfolio explains how.
How are dividends taxed?
It depends on where you live and on your account. In the US, the IRS treats some dividends as qualified and some as ordinary, and taxes them at different rates. In Canada, the CRA has its own rules for Canadian and foreign dividends.
Do you live outside the US and own US shares? Then US tax is usually taken off your dividends before you get them. A tax deal between your country and the US may lower the rate. Ask your broker which forms you need.
Currency matters too. Say you live in Canada and get paid in US dollars. The amount in Canadian dollars changes each time the exchange rate moves. Our dividend investing strategy guide shows how to plan your income around that.
How we chose
These ten companies show dividend increases, cuts, payment schedules and mergers. Shaw Communications is no longer on the list because Rogers bought it in April 2023. The order is not a yield or expected-return ranking.
We checked company announcements, filings and labelled news reports on 17 October 2026, and McDonald's latest dividend on 21 October 2026. We do not accept payment for placement. We leave out yields because they change every day. This is a research list.
Questions beginners ask
Are these the best dividend stocks to buy now?
No. They are well-known dividend payers, chosen for their records and for the lessons they teach. This is not a recommendation to buy. We don't know your goals, your taxes or what else you own.
What is a Dividend King?
A nickname for a company that has raised its dividend every year for at least 50 years. Coca-Cola, with 64 raises in a row by February 2026, is one. It is not an official title or a promise.
Which stocks pay dividends every month?
On this list, Main Street Capital pays a regular dividend every month. STAG Industrial used to, but switched to quarterly payments in 2026. Monthly payments spread your income out; they don't make it bigger.
When do I need to buy a stock to get its next dividend?
In the US, you generally need to buy before the ex-dividend date. If you buy on or after it, the seller gets that payment. You'll find the date in the company's dividend announcement.
