Dividend Kings: Stability and Growth Combined
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
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Should l Buy ABBV?
Source: Fool
- Dividend Growth Stability: Currently, 57 stocks hold the title of Dividend Kings, with American States Water increasing its dividend for 71 consecutive years, demonstrating long-term stability and commitment to shareholders, which attracts investors seeking passive income.
- AbbVie's Revenue Growth: AbbVie reported $5 billion and $2.37 billion in revenue from its new drugs Skyrizi and Rinvoq in Q4 2025, reflecting a 32% and 29.5% increase year-over-year, respectively, providing strong support for the company's revenue transition after losing Humira's exclusivity.
- Walmart's E-commerce Growth: Walmart's U.S. e-commerce sales surged 27% in Q1 2025, with international sales up 17%, and despite a modest 0.8% dividend yield, its 46% stock price increase and 53 consecutive years of dividend growth bolster investor confidence.
- Con Edison Capital Expenditure Plans: Con Edison plans to invest $6.6 billion in 2025 and $6.8 billion in 2026 on capital projects aimed at upgrading transmission lines and modernizing gas systems, which is expected to drive stable long-term returns and meet the growing energy demand.
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Analyst Views on ABBV
Wall Street analysts forecast ABBV stock price to rise
18 Analyst Rating
12 Buy
6 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 219.680
Low
223.00
Averages
252.00
High
289.00
Current: 219.680
Low
223.00
Averages
252.00
High
289.00
About ABBV
AbbVie Inc. is a global, diversified research-based biopharmaceutical company. It is engaged in research and development, manufacturing, commercialization and sale of medicines and therapies. Its product portfolio includes Immunology, Oncology, Aesthetics, Neuroscience, Eye Care and Other Key Products. Immunology products include rheumatology, dermatology and gastroenterology. Oncology products include Imbruvica, Venclexta/Venclyxto, Elahere and Epkinly. Aesthetics portfolio consists of facial injectables, plastics and regenerative medicine, body contouring, and skincare products. Its Neuroscience products include Botox Therapeutic, Vraylar, Duopa and Duodopa, Ubrelvy, and Qulipta. Eye Care products include Ozurdex, Lumigan/Ganfort, Alphagan/Combigan, Restasis, and other eye care. Other key products include Mavyret/Maviret, Creon, and Linzess/Constella. Its investigational candidate, bretisilocin, is for the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe major depressive disorder (MDD).
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Dividend Kings: Stability and Growth Combined
- Dividend Growth Stability: Currently, 57 stocks hold the title of Dividend Kings, with American States Water increasing its dividend for 71 consecutive years, demonstrating long-term stability and commitment to shareholders, which attracts investors seeking passive income.
- AbbVie's Revenue Growth: AbbVie reported $5 billion and $2.37 billion in revenue from its new drugs Skyrizi and Rinvoq in Q4 2025, reflecting a 32% and 29.5% increase year-over-year, respectively, providing strong support for the company's revenue transition after losing Humira's exclusivity.
- Walmart's E-commerce Growth: Walmart's U.S. e-commerce sales surged 27% in Q1 2025, with international sales up 17%, and despite a modest 0.8% dividend yield, its 46% stock price increase and 53 consecutive years of dividend growth bolster investor confidence.
- Con Edison Capital Expenditure Plans: Con Edison plans to invest $6.6 billion in 2025 and $6.8 billion in 2026 on capital projects aimed at upgrading transmission lines and modernizing gas systems, which is expected to drive stable long-term returns and meet the growing energy demand.
See More
AbbVie and Walmart's Dividend Growth Highlights
- AbbVie Revenue Surge: AbbVie's Skyrizi and Rinvoq generated $5 billion and $2.37 billion in Q4 2025, reflecting year-over-year increases of 32% and 29.5%, respectively, demonstrating the company's successful transition post-Humira exclusivity loss and enhancing its long-term profitability.
- Walmart's E-commerce Growth: Walmart achieved $713 billion in sales revenue for 2025, and while Amazon topped the sales chart at $717 billion, Walmart's U.S. e-commerce sales surged 27% in Q1 2026, showcasing its strong performance in the e-commerce sector and solidifying its market position.
- Utility Stability: Consolidated Edison reported a net income of $2.02 billion in 2025, up from $1.82 billion in 2024, and has increased its dividend for 52 consecutive years, with a current yield of 3.1%, highlighting its stable cash flow and long-term investment appeal.
- Scarcity of Dividend Kings: Among over 400 companies in the S&P 500 that pay dividends, only 57 hold the title of Dividend King, requiring at least 50 years of consecutive dividend increases, reflecting their long-term stability and commitment to shareholders, attracting investors seeking passive income.
See More
Investors Shift Focus to Dividend-Paying Stocks Amid Market Volatility
- Market Volatility Impact: The S&P 500 has lost about 2% in 2026 due to rising oil prices from the Iran war, prompting investors to seek high-dividend stocks perceived as risk-averse to navigate the turbulent market.
- Dividend Aristocrats Outperformance: Both the ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF and the Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF have gained approximately 4% year-to-date, indicating strong performance of income-paying stocks, particularly during a rate-cutting cycle.
- Colgate-Palmolive Dividend Increase: Colgate-Palmolive's stock has risen about 14%, and it raised its quarterly dividend from 52 cents to 53 cents per share, demonstrating resilience in a challenging operating environment and confidence in long-term shareholder value creation.
- Johnson & Johnson Drug Development: Johnson & Johnson's stock has increased by about 17% year-to-date, and it recently announced significant results from its Phase 1 trial for bladder cancer treatment, further solidifying its leadership position in the pharmaceutical industry.
See More
Analysis of Investment Value in Dividend Stocks
- Dividend Yield Advantage: The S&P 500 index has had an average dividend yield of 1.74% over the past decade, which, while seemingly modest, results in a total return of 305% when dividends are reinvested, highlighting the significance of dividend stocks in long-term investing.
- Realty Income Performance: Realty Income is renowned for its monthly dividend payments, having increased its dividend 133 times over the past 55 years, with a current yield of 5%, making it a preferred choice for investors due to its stable cash flow and robust property portfolio.
- ExxonMobil's Cash Flow: ExxonMobil reported an operational cash flow of $52 billion in 2025, allowing it to pay $17.2 billion in dividends and repurchase $20 billion in shares, demonstrating its strong financial health and commitment to dividend payments, with a yield of 2.8%.
- Innovative Strategy of JPMorgan ETF: The JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF employs a covered-call strategy to generate monthly dividends, currently yielding 10.6%, providing a novel investment opportunity for those seeking passive income from tech stocks that typically do not offer dividends.
See More
Analysis of Blue Chip Dividend Strategies
- Stable Dividend Returns: Coca-Cola, known as a 'Dividend King', has raised its dividend for 50 consecutive years, currently yielding 2.6%, which not only attracts new investors but also strengthens its market position.
- Strong Cash Flow: ExxonMobil generated $52 billion in operating cash flow in 2025, allowing it to pay $17.2 billion in dividends and repurchase $20 billion in shares, showcasing its robust financial health and shareholder return capability.
- Pharmaceutical Growth: AbbVie reported a 10% revenue growth in Q4, totaling $16.6 billion, with Skyrizi and Rinvoq contributing $5 billion and $2.37 billion respectively, maintaining a 3% dividend yield despite losing Humira's exclusivity.
- Innovative ETF Strategy: The JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF employs a covered-call strategy to achieve a current yield of 10.6%, attracting investors seeking passive income, particularly as tech stocks generally do not offer dividends.
See More
Concorde Financial Fully Liquidates Howard Hughes Holdings Stake
- Liquidation Transaction: Concorde Financial Corp disclosed in an SEC filing dated February 17, 2026, that it fully liquidated its stake in Howard Hughes Holdings, selling 52,047 shares for approximately $4.28 million, indicating a cautious outlook on the company's future performance.
- Position Change: Prior to the liquidation, Howard Hughes Holdings represented 2.4% of Concorde Financial's assets under management, with the firm reallocating its focus to other assets such as JPM and XOM, which now account for 7.1% and 6.2% of AUM, respectively.
- Market Performance: As of February 16, 2026, Howard Hughes Holdings shares were priced at $82.15, reflecting a 9.5% increase over the past year, yet underperforming the S&P 500 by 2.3 percentage points, highlighting its relative weakness in the market.
- Investor Considerations: Howard Hughes Holdings operates on a long-cycle real estate development model, and while it controls significant land in fast-growing markets, the ability to consistently convert land ownership into stable commercial income remains a critical concern for investors.
See More
Dividend Kings: Stability and Growth Combined
- Dividend Growth Stability: Currently, 57 stocks hold the title of Dividend Kings, with American States Water increasing its dividend for 71 consecutive years, demonstrating long-term stability and commitment to shareholders, which attracts investors seeking passive income.
- AbbVie's Revenue Growth: AbbVie reported $5 billion and $2.37 billion in revenue from its new drugs Skyrizi and Rinvoq in Q4 2025, reflecting a 32% and 29.5% increase year-over-year, respectively, providing strong support for the company's revenue transition after losing Humira's exclusivity.
- Walmart's E-commerce Growth: Walmart's U.S. e-commerce sales surged 27% in Q1 2025, with international sales up 17%, and despite a modest 0.8% dividend yield, its 46% stock price increase and 53 consecutive years of dividend growth bolster investor confidence.
- Con Edison Capital Expenditure Plans: Con Edison plans to invest $6.6 billion in 2025 and $6.8 billion in 2026 on capital projects aimed at upgrading transmission lines and modernizing gas systems, which is expected to drive stable long-term returns and meet the growing energy demand.
See More
AbbVie and Walmart's Dividend Growth Highlights
- AbbVie Revenue Surge: AbbVie's Skyrizi and Rinvoq generated $5 billion and $2.37 billion in Q4 2025, reflecting year-over-year increases of 32% and 29.5%, respectively, demonstrating the company's successful transition post-Humira exclusivity loss and enhancing its long-term profitability.
- Walmart's E-commerce Growth: Walmart achieved $713 billion in sales revenue for 2025, and while Amazon topped the sales chart at $717 billion, Walmart's U.S. e-commerce sales surged 27% in Q1 2026, showcasing its strong performance in the e-commerce sector and solidifying its market position.
- Utility Stability: Consolidated Edison reported a net income of $2.02 billion in 2025, up from $1.82 billion in 2024, and has increased its dividend for 52 consecutive years, with a current yield of 3.1%, highlighting its stable cash flow and long-term investment appeal.
- Scarcity of Dividend Kings: Among over 400 companies in the S&P 500 that pay dividends, only 57 hold the title of Dividend King, requiring at least 50 years of consecutive dividend increases, reflecting their long-term stability and commitment to shareholders, attracting investors seeking passive income.
See More
Investors Shift Focus to Dividend-Paying Stocks Amid Market Volatility
- Market Volatility Impact: The S&P 500 has lost about 2% in 2026 due to rising oil prices from the Iran war, prompting investors to seek high-dividend stocks perceived as risk-averse to navigate the turbulent market.
- Dividend Aristocrats Outperformance: Both the ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF and the Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF have gained approximately 4% year-to-date, indicating strong performance of income-paying stocks, particularly during a rate-cutting cycle.
- Colgate-Palmolive Dividend Increase: Colgate-Palmolive's stock has risen about 14%, and it raised its quarterly dividend from 52 cents to 53 cents per share, demonstrating resilience in a challenging operating environment and confidence in long-term shareholder value creation.
- Johnson & Johnson Drug Development: Johnson & Johnson's stock has increased by about 17% year-to-date, and it recently announced significant results from its Phase 1 trial for bladder cancer treatment, further solidifying its leadership position in the pharmaceutical industry.
See More
Analysis of Investment Value in Dividend Stocks
- Dividend Yield Advantage: The S&P 500 index has had an average dividend yield of 1.74% over the past decade, which, while seemingly modest, results in a total return of 305% when dividends are reinvested, highlighting the significance of dividend stocks in long-term investing.
- Realty Income Performance: Realty Income is renowned for its monthly dividend payments, having increased its dividend 133 times over the past 55 years, with a current yield of 5%, making it a preferred choice for investors due to its stable cash flow and robust property portfolio.
- ExxonMobil's Cash Flow: ExxonMobil reported an operational cash flow of $52 billion in 2025, allowing it to pay $17.2 billion in dividends and repurchase $20 billion in shares, demonstrating its strong financial health and commitment to dividend payments, with a yield of 2.8%.
- Innovative Strategy of JPMorgan ETF: The JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF employs a covered-call strategy to generate monthly dividends, currently yielding 10.6%, providing a novel investment opportunity for those seeking passive income from tech stocks that typically do not offer dividends.
See More
Analysis of Blue Chip Dividend Strategies
- Stable Dividend Returns: Coca-Cola, known as a 'Dividend King', has raised its dividend for 50 consecutive years, currently yielding 2.6%, which not only attracts new investors but also strengthens its market position.
- Strong Cash Flow: ExxonMobil generated $52 billion in operating cash flow in 2025, allowing it to pay $17.2 billion in dividends and repurchase $20 billion in shares, showcasing its robust financial health and shareholder return capability.
- Pharmaceutical Growth: AbbVie reported a 10% revenue growth in Q4, totaling $16.6 billion, with Skyrizi and Rinvoq contributing $5 billion and $2.37 billion respectively, maintaining a 3% dividend yield despite losing Humira's exclusivity.
- Innovative ETF Strategy: The JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF employs a covered-call strategy to achieve a current yield of 10.6%, attracting investors seeking passive income, particularly as tech stocks generally do not offer dividends.
See More
Concorde Financial Fully Liquidates Howard Hughes Holdings Stake
- Liquidation Transaction: Concorde Financial Corp disclosed in an SEC filing dated February 17, 2026, that it fully liquidated its stake in Howard Hughes Holdings, selling 52,047 shares for approximately $4.28 million, indicating a cautious outlook on the company's future performance.
- Position Change: Prior to the liquidation, Howard Hughes Holdings represented 2.4% of Concorde Financial's assets under management, with the firm reallocating its focus to other assets such as JPM and XOM, which now account for 7.1% and 6.2% of AUM, respectively.
- Market Performance: As of February 16, 2026, Howard Hughes Holdings shares were priced at $82.15, reflecting a 9.5% increase over the past year, yet underperforming the S&P 500 by 2.3 percentage points, highlighting its relative weakness in the market.
- Investor Considerations: Howard Hughes Holdings operates on a long-cycle real estate development model, and while it controls significant land in fast-growing markets, the ability to consistently convert land ownership into stable commercial income remains a critical concern for investors.
See More
