Colgate-Palmolive (CL -0.36%), Procter & Gamble (PG -0.53%), and Coca-Cola (KO -0.37%) are three dividend stocks I'd be happy to put $1,000 into each and then forget about. I'm confident that leaders in toothpaste, laundry detergent, and soft drinks can keep paying me dividends for decades.
Their dividend histories support a buy-and-forget approach. All three are Dividend Kings -- companies that have raised their dividends for at least 50 consecutive years. As of Sept. 25, they yield about 2.4% to 3%, reflecting the staying power of their brands and their ability to hold up through just about any economic backdrop.
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Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive controls more than 40% of the global toothpaste market and also owns a portfolio of personal and home care brands. Selling everyday essentials is why the company has been able to raise its dividend for 63 consecutive years.
The company generates strong margins across its brands. On a trailing 12-month basis, it generated $3.9 billion in free cash flow. Its dividend payout as a percentage of free cash flow was 43%, based on its current quarterly dividend of $0.53 per share, which puts its forward yield at about 2.47% -- close to $25 in annual income on a $1,000 investment.
The business is performing well in a sub-optimal consumer spending environment. Net sales increased 4.9% year over year to $5.4 billion in the second quarter of 2026. Organic sales -- excluding currency effects, acquisitions, and divestitures -- rose 2.4%.
NYSE: CL
Key Data Points
Over the past five years, the dividend has grown at a 3.3% annualized rate. With solid free cash flow generation, management intends to keep investing in innovation and brand support. Analysts expect Colgate's earnings to grow at an annualized rate of 5% over the coming years, which should translate into similar growth in free cash flow and dividends.
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble owns some of the strongest consumer brands on the planet -- including Tide, Pampers, Gillette, Crest, and Charmin -- which sets it up for consistent sales, profits, and dividend growth. That broad lineup of daily use products has powered 70 consecutive years of dividend increases.
Like many consumer companies, P&G has faced sales pressure amid inflationary pressures. Organic sales rose just 1% year over year in fiscal 2026 (ended in June), and they were flat in the most recent quarter. Even so, the company paid out 67% of free cash flow as dividends over the past year, suggesting the payout remains safe and sustainable.
The quarterly dividend is currently $1.0885 per share, yielding 2.98% forward. This would pay close to $30 in annual income on a $1,000 investment. Over the past five years, P&G has grown its dividend at a 5% annualized rate, and analysts expect earnings to rise 5% annually over the long term.
NYSE: PG
Key Data Points
This could be a good time to take a closer look at the stock, as management aims to reaccelerate sales and regain market share over the next 12 to 18 months. If it succeeds, that progress could be a catalyst for stronger stock performance in the years ahead.
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is another consumer staple built around affordable products people buy every day. Each year, it sells billions of servings across a wide lineup that includes soft drinks, water, sports drinks, juice, and coffee. Beyond its namesake soda, Coca-Cola has 32 brands that each generate $1 billion in annual sales.
Earlier this year, the company raised its dividend for the 64th consecutive year. At its current quarterly rate of $0.53 per share, the forward yield is 2.41%, supported by a free cash flow payout ratio of 77%. A $1,000 investment would earn about $24 in annual income.
Coca-Cola is executing well right now. In the second quarter, global unit case volume rose 5% year over year. Organic revenue increased 6%, and a mix of expense leverage and improved margins helped drive adjusted earnings up 11% versus the year-ago quarter.
NYSE: KO
Key Data Points
The dividend has grown at a 4.5% annualized rate over the past five years. With the company's current momentum, analysts now expect its earnings to grow 7% per year over the long term. Consumers have been buying Coke products for over a century, and that's not likely to change. It owns dozens of brands across different categories to meet consumer needs for almost any occasion, which should continue to drive steady sales and dividend growth for a long time.
