Finding Stable Dividend Stocks Amid Market Volatility
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
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Should l Buy CL?
Source: Fool
- Market Volatility Impact: Since the onset of the U.S.-Israel and Iran conflict, the S&P 500 index has dropped 3.1% from the beginning of the year through March 13, creating investor anxiety and prompting a search for stable investment options.
- Top Dividend Stocks: Colgate-Palmolive and American States Water are highlighted as ideal long-term dividend investments, with Colgate-Palmolive increasing its dividend for 63 consecutive years and American States Water for 71 years, showcasing their robust financial performance.
- Colgate-Palmolive Financials: Colgate-Palmolive generated $3.6 billion in free cash flow, comfortably covering its $1.8 billion dividend payout, and its 2.4% dividend yield is nearly double that of the S&P 500, reflecting strong cash flow and market competitiveness.
- American States Water Stability: As a regulated utility with a monopoly over water and electricity in California, American States Water boasts a 2.7% dividend yield and a 58% payout ratio, indicating its earnings are sufficient to support ongoing dividend growth.
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Analyst Views on CL
Wall Street analysts forecast CL stock price to fall
15 Analyst Rating
10 Buy
4 Hold
1 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 90.300
Low
77.00
Averages
87.79
High
95.00
Current: 90.300
Low
77.00
Averages
87.79
High
95.00
About CL
Colgate-Palmolive Company is a growth company. It is focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition, it sells its products under brands, such as Colgate, Palmolive, elmex, hello, meridol, Sorriso, Tom's of Maine, EltaMD, Filorga, Irish Spring, Lady Speed Stick, PCA SKIN, Protex, Sanex, Softsoap, Speed Stick, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Murphy, Soupline and Suavitel, as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet. Its Oral, Personal and Home Care product segment is managed geographically in five segments, such as North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa/Eurasia, all of which sell primarily to a variety of traditional and e-commerce retailers, wholesalers, distributors, dentists and skin health professionals. Its Pet Nutrition products include specialty pet nutrition products manufactured and marketed by Hill's Pet Nutrition. The customers for Pet Nutrition products are authorized pet supply retailers, veterinarians and e-commerce retailers.
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.
- Market Volatility Impact: Since the onset of the U.S.-Israel and Iran conflict, the S&P 500 index has dropped 3.1% from the beginning of the year through March 13, creating investor anxiety and prompting a search for stable investment options.
- Top Dividend Stocks: Colgate-Palmolive and American States Water are highlighted as ideal long-term dividend investments, with Colgate-Palmolive increasing its dividend for 63 consecutive years and American States Water for 71 years, showcasing their robust financial performance.
- Colgate-Palmolive Financials: Colgate-Palmolive generated $3.6 billion in free cash flow, comfortably covering its $1.8 billion dividend payout, and its 2.4% dividend yield is nearly double that of the S&P 500, reflecting strong cash flow and market competitiveness.
- American States Water Stability: As a regulated utility with a monopoly over water and electricity in California, American States Water boasts a 2.7% dividend yield and a 58% payout ratio, indicating its earnings are sufficient to support ongoing dividend growth.
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- 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.
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- Growth Forecast Downgrade: Analysts at Goldman Sachs predict that the surge in oil prices due to the Iran conflict could reduce global economic growth by approximately 0.3%, exerting pressure on economic recovery across nations.
- Inflationary Pressure: Rising energy prices are expected to increase global headline inflation by about 0.5 to 0.6 percentage points, with core inflation rising by a smaller margin of 0.1 to 0.2 percentage points, indicating that pressures in the energy market will directly impact consumers.
- Limited Supply Chain Impact: Goldman notes that despite the shock to energy markets, most major economies have limited trade exposure to non-energy goods from the Middle East, with non-energy exports from Gulf countries accounting for only about 1% of global trade, thus minimizing the risk of widespread supply chain disruptions.
- Risk Warning: Goldman warns that if the conflict escalates or if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for an extended period, prolonged disruptions to energy supplies could further push oil prices higher, amplifying the drag on global growth while keeping inflation elevated.
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- Market Decline: Asian equities faced a sharp decline this week, with the MSCI Asia Pacific index dropping 2.1% as foreign investors liquidated $15 billion in emerging markets, indicating a significant loss of market confidence.
- Growth Forecast Downgrade: Goldman Sachs has revised down GDP growth forecasts for the Asia-Pacific region by 0.3 to 0.5 percentage points due to surging oil prices and an extended oil export disruption estimate from 10 to 21 days through the Strait of Hormuz, negatively impacting corporate earnings outlook.
- Increased Capital Flight: India and the Philippines, being oil-sensitive economies, saw their markets slide by 5%, prompting Goldman to cut 2026 earnings estimates for the MXAPJ index by 2%, reflecting diminished confidence in these economies.
- Emergency Measures Announced: Authorities in South Korea and Taiwan have implemented emergency stabilization measures in response to market turmoil, with outflows of $7 billion and $5.4 billion respectively, exacerbating market uncertainty.
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- Background of Oil Surge: Oil prices have surged above $100 per barrel due to the Iran war, significantly pressuring airline profitability, although the broader commercial aerospace cycle may remain resilient.
- Increased Supply Risks: The conflict in the Middle East has sharply altered the oil market outlook, shifting expectations from a supply surplus to a potential deficit, particularly raising concerns about supply risks linked to the Strait of Hormuz.
- Cost Challenges for Airlines: Airlines face higher fuel costs, as jet fuel is one of their largest operating expenses, and when oil prices rise due to supply shocks, carriers struggle to pass these costs onto passengers quickly enough, squeezing profit margins.
- Varied Industry Resilience: The impact varies widely across airlines, with network carriers generally being more resilient, while those with strong balance sheets and diversified revenue streams are better positioned to absorb rising fuel costs.
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- Market Update Release: On March 13, 2026, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) issued a daily pre-market advisory aimed at providing investors with insights before the market opens, assisting them in making more informed trading decisions.
- Opening Ceremony: ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW) CEO Bill McDermott conducted the opening ceremony for the US markets, marking the start of the trading day and highlighting the company's significant position in the market.
- Closing Activities: At the closing bell, EltaMD Skin Care, a brand under Colgate-Palmolive, celebrated the 3rd Annual National Dermatologist Day, emphasizing the brand's influence in the skincare industry and recognition among professionals.
- Celebrity Event Recap: The NYSE also recapped the visit of Olympic champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates, showcasing the exchange's connection with the sports community and enhancing its public image.
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