Dividend Aristocrats is a group of few dozen S&P 500 companies that have a record of boosting their annual dividend distribution amount for at least the last 25 consecutive years.

Published in 1989, the first list of Dividend Aristocrats contained 26 companies. Rebalancing of the Dividend Aristocrats’ list to add and drop companies based on their eligibility occurs quarterly in January, April, July and October. After the initial Dividend Aristocratslist in 1989, some companies dropped off the list for failing to meet the eligibility requirements and other companies extended their consecutive annual dividend hikes streaks to reach the 25-year eligibility milestone. More companies joined list then dropped off, and the list expanded to 64 companies in 2001.

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By the financial crisis in 2008, the number of Dividend Aristocrats declined to 52. Many of the Dividend Aristocrats succumbed to the negative effects in the aftermath of the crisis and nine dropped off the list – eight for failing to meet eligibility requirements and Mars, Incorporated acquired the Wrigley Company. As the markets and the overall economy recovered from the recession the Dividend aristocrats list began expanding again and currently includes 65 companies. The 65 Dividend Aristocrats are listed below in ascending order by number of consecutive annual dividend hikes.

The Dividend Aristocrats investment strategy has outperformed the overall stock market over an extended period. Please read our article: Why Invest in the Dividend Aristocrats?

To invest in the Dividend Aristocrats, please read these 2 articles:

The Best Dividend Aristocrat ETFs

5 Best Dividend Aristocrats Stocks to Buy Now

Recent changes to the list of dividend aristocrats are as follows: 

– On January 24th, 2020, the list of total Dividend Aristocrats was increased from 57 to 64 when Amcor (AMCR), Atmos Energy (ATO), Realty Income (O), Essex Property Trust (ESS), Ross Stores (ROST), Albemarle (ALB), and Expeditors International (EXPD) were added to the list. 

– The list increased again on March 31, 2020 to include 66 companies. This increase occurred because United Technologies merged with Raytheon to form Raytheon Technologies, changed its ticker to RTX, and spun off Carrier Global (CARR) and Otis Worldwide (OTIS).

– Ross Stores (ROST) was removed from the list prior to market open on July 1, 2020 when it suspended its dividend due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This reduced the list size to 65 companies.

Source: S&P News Releases 

The following chart breaks down the dividend aristocrat list by sector, depicting what percentage of the list is made up by each sector.

Source: S&P Fact Sheet 

Dividend Aristocrats as of November 2020

Amcor Plc (NYSE: AMCR)

Sector: Materials 

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 25

Market Cap: $18,147,336,740

Latest Close Stock Price: $11.57

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.98%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 4.00%

Atmos Energy Corp. (NYSE: ATO)

Sector: Utilities 

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 25

Market Cap: $12,193,608,540

Latest Close Stock Price: $96.86

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.58%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.37%

Realty Income Corp. (NYSE: O)

Sector: Financials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 25

Market Cap: $21,371,781,100

Latest Close Stock Price: $60.89

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 4.61%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 4.58%

Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESS)

Sector: Financials 

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 25

Market Cap: $16,462,306,350

Latest Close Stock Price: $252.47

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.29%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.24%

Albemarle Corp. (NYSE: ALB)

Sector: Materials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 25

Market Cap: $14,271,625,420

Latest Close Stock Price: $134.06

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.15%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.14%

Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPD)

Sector: Industrials 

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 25

Market Cap: $18,147,336,740

Latest Close Stock Price: $88.78

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.17%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.15%

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Otis Worldwide Corp. (NYSE: OTIS)

Sector: Industrials 

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 26

Market Cap: $29,132,363,750

Latest Close Stock Price: $67.25

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.19%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 0.89%

Carrier Global Corp (NYSE: CARR)

Sector: IT & Communications

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 26

Market Cap: $33,601,454,990

Latest Close Stock Price: $38.77

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 0.83%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 0.41%

Raytheon Technologies Corp. (NYSE: RTX)

Sector: Industrials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 26

Market Cap: $110,319,530,240

Latest Close Stock Price: $72.64

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.62%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.97%

Caterpillar, Inc. (NYSE:CAT)

Sector: Industrials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 26 Years

Market Cap: $94,950,633,240

Latest Close Stock Price: $174.78

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.36%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.36%

Chubb Ltd. (NYSE:CB)

Sector: Financials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 26 Years

Market Cap: $67,267,820,130

Latest Close Stock Price: $149.03

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.09%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.05%

A. O. Smith Corporation (NYSE:AOS)

Sector: Consumer Products

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 26 Years

Market Cap: $7,785,870,700

Latest Close Stock Price: $57.49

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.81%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.70%

Linde Plc (NYSE:LIN)

Sector: Materials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 26 Years

Market Cap: $132,337,443,980

Latest Close Stock Price: $252.14

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.53%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.49%

People’s United Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:PBCT)

Sector: Financials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 27 Years

Market Cap: $5,519,022,330

Latest Close Stock Price: $12.99

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 5.54%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 5.52%

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Roper Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:ROP)

Sector: Industrials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 27 Years

Market Cap: $42,548,667,840

Latest Close Stock Price: $405.72

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 0.55%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 0.51%

General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:GD)

Sector: Industrials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 28 Years

Market Cap: $43,051,539,440

Latest Close Stock Price: $150.02

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.93%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.88%

Ecolab, Inc. (NYSE:ECL)

Sector: Materials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 28 Years

Market Cap: $61,062,394,400

Latest Close Stock Price: $213.92

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 0.88%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 0.88%

Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX)

Sector: Energy

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 32 Years

Market Cap: $169,982,412,690

Latest Close Stock Price: $91.03

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 5.67%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 5.67%

Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE:CAH)

Sector: Health Care

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 33 Years

Market Cap: $15,342,984,090

Latest Close Stock Price: $52.29

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.71%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.70%

T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:TROW)

Sector: Financials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 33 Years

Market Cap: $31,557,967,210

Latest Close Stock Price: $139.37

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.58%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.48%

McCormick & Company, Inc. (NYSE:MKC)

Sector: Consumer Products

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 34 Years

Market Cap: $22,755,684,000

Latest Close Stock Price: $183.00

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 0.74%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.36%

AT&T, Inc. (NYSE: T)

Sector: IT & Communications

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 36 Years

Market Cap: $203,946,120,000

Latest Close Stock Price: $28.62

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 7.27%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 7.27%

Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF.B)

Sector: Consumer Products

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 36 Years

Market Cap: 

Latest Close Stock Price: 

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield:

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM)

Sector: Energy

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 37 Years

Market Cap: $166,423,290,240

Latest Close Stock Price: $39.36

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 8.84%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 8.84%

Aflac, Inc. (NYSE:AFL)

Sector: Financials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 37 Years

Market Cap: $31,223,680,250

Latest Close Stock Price: $44.45

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.97%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.52%

Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE:APD)

Sector: Materials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 37 Years

Market Cap: $60,839,892,020

Latest Close Stock Price: $275.26

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.95%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.88%

Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ:CTAS)

Sector: Industrials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 37 Years

Market Cap: $37,483,998,750

Latest Close Stock Price: $358.27

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 0.78%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 0.98%

Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN)

Sector: Financials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 40 Years

Market Cap: $10,727,625,920

Latest Close Stock Price: $21.26

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 5.08%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 5.08%

The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE:SHW)

Sector: Materials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 41 Years

Market Cap: $66,677,357,250

Latest Close Stock Price: $734.13

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 0.73%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 0.73%

The Clorox Company (NYSE:CLX)

Sector: Consumer Products

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 42 Years

Market Cap: $25,501,175,500

Latest Close Stock Price: $202.31

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.19%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.15%

Medtronic Plc (NYSE:MDT)

Sector: Health Care

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 42 Years

Market Cap: $149,167,538,550

Latest Close Stock Price: $110.97

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.02%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.02%

Pentair Plc (NYSE:PNR)

Sector: Industrials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 43 Years

Market Cap: $8,861,251,420

Latest Close Stock Price: $53.27

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.43%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.43%

Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE:ADM)

Sector: Consumer Products

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 44 Years

Market Cap: $27,157,347,090

Latest Close Stock Price: $48.81

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.95%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.95%

Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA)

Sector: Services

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 44 Years

Market Cap: $32,887,489,680

Latest Close Stock Price: $37.98

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 4.92%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 4.87%

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD)

Sector: Services

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 44 Years

Market Cap: $161,689,087,000

Latest Close Stock Price: $217.00

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.38%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.30%

Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED)

Sector: Utilities

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 45 Years

Market Cap: $25,975,012,630

Latest Close Stock Price: $77.57

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.94%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.94%

Illinois Tool Works, Inc. (NYSE:ITW)

Sector: Industrials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 45 Years

Market Cap: $66,079,880,400

Latest Close Stock Price: $208.77

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.18%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.08%

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADP)

Sector: IT & Communications

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 45 Years

Market Cap: $73,781,736,840

Latest Close Stock Price: $172.06

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.16%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.12%

Walmart, Inc. (NYSE:WMT)

Sector: Services

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 46 Years

Market Cap: $427,698,340,290

Latest Close Stock Price: $150.93

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.43%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.42%

S&P Global, Inc. (NYSE:SPGI)

Sector: Financials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 46 Years

Market Cap: $81,111,072,000

Latest Close Stock Price: $337.12

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 0.79%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 0.77%

AbbVie, Inc. (NYSE:ABBV)

Sector: Health Care

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 47 Years

Market Cap: $180,396,133,320

Latest Close Stock Price: $102.18

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 5.09%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 4.62%

Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE:KMB)

Sector: Consumer Products

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 47 Years

Market Cap: $47,353,873,140

Latest Close Stock Price: $139.22

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.07%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.05%

PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP)

Sector: Consumer Products

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 47 Years

Market Cap: $197,647,347,120

Latest Close Stock Price: $143.02

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.86%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.77%

Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE)

Sector: Materials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 47 Years

Market Cap: $16,204,529,430

Latest Close Stock Price: $53.67

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.00%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.00%

VF Corporation (NYSE:VFC)

Sector: Consumer Products

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 47 Years

Market Cap: $33,754,846,200

Latest Close Stock Price: $86.55

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.26%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.22%

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT)

Sector: Health Care

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 47 Years

Market Cap: $193,665,995,740

Latest Close Stock Price: $109.27

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.32%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.32%

Leggett & Platt, Inc. (NYSE:LEG)

Sector: Consumer Products

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 48 Years

Market Cap: $5,792,405,490

Latest Close Stock Price: $43.71

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.66%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.66%

Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT)

Sector: Services

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 48 Years

Market Cap: $88,889,732,080

Latest Close Stock Price: $177.56

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.53%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.51%

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W.W. Grainger, Inc. (NYSE:GWW)

Sector: Industrials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 48 Years

Market Cap: $22,264,169,800

Latest Close Stock Price: $414.85

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.48%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield:

PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG)

Sector: Materials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 48 Years

Market Cap: $34,197,615,120

Latest Close Stock Price: $144.78

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.49%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.45%

Becton, Dickinson & Company (NYSE:BDX)

Sector: Health Care

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 48 Years

Market Cap: $66,229,269,120

Latest Close Stock Price: $228.48

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.45%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.38%

Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY)

Sector: Services

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 50 Years

Market Cap: $36,322,390,290

Latest Close Stock Price: $71.31

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.52%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.52%

Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE:FRT)

Sector: Financials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 52 Years

Market Cap: $7,040,466,290

Latest Close Stock Price: $93.07

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 4.56%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 4.52%

Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE:SWK)

Sector: Industrials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 52 Years

Market Cap: $30,592,979,620

Latest Close Stock Price: $190.94

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.47%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.45%

Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL)

Sector: Consumer Products

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 54 Years

Market Cap: $26,996,588,240

Latest Close Stock Price: $50.03

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.96%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.86%

Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE:CL)

Sector: Consumer Products

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 56 Years

Market Cap: $72,465,067,260

Latest Close Stock Price: $84.54

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.08%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.07%

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO)

Sector: Consumer Products

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 57 Years

Market Cap: $226,388,875,800

Latest Close Stock Price: $52.68

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.11%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.09%

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ)

Sector: Health Care

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 57 Years

Market Cap: $378,743,961,410

Latest Close Stock Price: $143.87

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.81%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.77%

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW)

Sector: Services

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 57 Years

Market Cap: $116,133,951,120

Latest Close Stock Price: $153.67

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.56%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.46%

Cincinnati Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:CINF)

Sector: Financials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 59 Years

Market Cap: $12,490,434,110

Latest Close Stock Price: $77.63

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.09%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.04%

3M Company (NYSE:MMM)

Sector: Health Care

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 61 Years

Market Cap: $100,447,783,080

Latest Close Stock Price: $174.14

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.38%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.38%

Genuine Parts Company (NYSE:GPC)

Sector: Consumer Products

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 63 Years

Market Cap: $14,013,444,800

Latest Close Stock Price: $97.12

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.25%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 3.23%

Emerson Electric Company (NYSE:EMR)

Sector: Industrials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 63 Years

Market Cap: $46,533,414,590

Latest Close Stock Price: $77.81

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.60%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.58%

Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG)

Sector: Consumer Products

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 63 Years

Market Cap: $344,070,128,560

Latest Close Stock Price: $138.76

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.28%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 2.25%

Dover Corporation (NYSE:DOV)

Sector: Industrials

Consecutive Annual Dividend Hikes: 64 Years

Market Cap: $17,786,633,290

Latest Close Stock Price: $123.43

Projected 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.60%

Trailing 12 Month Dividend Yield: 1.59%

Just enter your e-mail address in the form below and you will gain immediate access to the Dividend Aristocrats list.

Related articles:

5 Best Dividend Aristocrats to Buy Now

The Dividend Aristocrats Investing Strategy and Stocks List

The Best Dividend Aristocrats ETFs

Why Invest in the Dividend Aristocrats?

The S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats — Everything You Need to Know

What are the Dividend Aristocrats?

Dividend Aristocrats, Dividend Kings, dividend increases and dividend decreases, new dividend announcements, dividend suspensions and other dividend changes occur daily. To make sure you don’t miss any important announcements, sign up for our E-mail Alerts. Let us do the hard work of gathering the data and sending the relevant information directly to your inbox.

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Olivia Faucher is an investment writer intern at Eagle Financial Publications who writes for www.dividendinvestor.com.