United States
Who are the Dividend Aristocrats in 2021?
The Dividend Aristocrats in 2021
Legendary investor George Soros once said, “Good investing should be boring”. But an increase in volatile themes today suggests this maxim has gone ignored by at least some market participants.
From a high level, we can view investments on a spectrum. Volatile assets like cryptocurrencies and SPACs are more on the exciting side of things. The boring side is likely where Dividend Aristocrat stocks lie.
The data above, from Sure Dividend, looks at all 65 Dividend Aristocrats, ranking them by their yield, sector, and years of growth.
What are Dividend Aristocrats?
The U.S. Dividend Aristocrats are a basket of 65 stocks in the S&P 500 index. These companies have been growing their dividend per share consecutively, for a minimum of 25 years.
This is easier said than done, since companies often distribute dividends quarterly. To pay and grow a dividend in the long run implies a business model that can withstand varying economic environments, including setbacks like market crashes.
Though dividend stocks may not carry the same excitement as other investments, studies show that dividends represent over 50% of total S&P 500 market returns.
Company | Dividend Yield | Years Dividend Grown | Sector |
---|---|---|---|
AT&T, Inc. | 6.9% | 36 | Communication Services |
Exxon Mobil Corp. | 6.1% | 38 | Energy |
Chevron Corp. | 5.1% | 33 | Energy |
International Business Machines Corp. | 4.9% | 25 | Technology |
Abbvie Inc | 4.8% | 49 | Healthcare |
Realty Income Corp. | 4.2% | 26 | Real Estate |
People`s United Financial Inc | 4.1% | 28 | Financial Services |
Federal Realty Investment Trust | 4.0% | 53 | Real Estate |
Consolidated Edison, Inc. | 4.0% | 47 | Utilities |
Amcor Plc | 3.9% | 36 | Consumer Cyclical |
Franklin Resources, Inc. | 3.7% | 41 | Financial Services |
Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc | 3.5% | 45 | Healthcare |
Leggett & Platt, Inc. | 3.3% | 47 | Consumer Cyclical |
Kimberly-Clark Corp. | 3.3% | 49 | Consumer Defensive |
Cardinal Health, Inc. | 3.2% | 33 | Healthcare |
Coca-Cola Co | 3.1% | 58 | Consumer Defensive |
PepsiCo Inc | 3.0% | 49 | Consumer Defensive |
3M Co. | 3.0% | 62 | Industrials |
Essex Property Trust, Inc. | 2.9% | 26 | Real Estate |
Genuine Parts Co. | 2.7% | 65 | Consumer Cyclical |
General Dynamics Corp. | 2.6% | 28 | Industrials |
Procter & Gamble Co. | 2.5% | 64 | Consumer Defensive |
Johnson & Johnson | 2.5% | 58 | Healthcare |
Archer Daniels Midland Co. | 2.5% | 46 | Consumer Defensive |
Aflac Inc. | 2.5% | 39 | Financial Services |
Atmos Energy Corp. | 2.5% | 37 | Utilities |
Cincinnati Financial Corp. | 2.4% | 60 | Financial Services |
Clorox Co. | 2.3% | 43 | Consumer Defensive |
VF Corp. | 2.3% | 48 | Consumer Cyclical |
Sysco Corp. | 2.2% | 51 | Consumer Defensive |
Colgate-Palmolive Co. | 2.2% | 57 | Consumer Defensive |
McDonald`s Corp | 2.2% | 45 | Consumer Cyclical |
Emerson Electric Co. | 2.2% | 64 | Industrials |
Hormel Foods Corp. | 2.1% | 55 | Consumer Defensive |
Air Products & Chemicals Inc. | 2.1% | 39 | Basic Materials |
Nucor Corp. | 2.0% | 47 | Basic Materials |
Illinois Tool Works, Inc. | 2.0% | 46 | Industrials |
T. Rowe Price Group Inc. | 2.0% | 34 | Financial Services |
Chubb Limited | 2.0% | 27 | Financial Services |
Automatic Data Processing Inc. | 1.9% | 46 | Industrials |
NextEra Energy Inc | 1.9% | 25 | Utilities |
Medtronic Plc | 1.8% | 43 | Healthcare |
Caterpillar Inc. | 1.8% | 26 | Industrials |
Walmart Inc | 1.6% | 48 | Consumer Defensive |
McCormick & Co., Inc. | 1.5% | 34 | Consumer Defensive |
A.O. Smith Corp. | 1.5% | 27 | Industrials |
W.W. Grainger Inc. | 1.5% | 49 | Industrials |
Linde Plc | 1.5% | 28 | Basic Materials |
Abbott Laboratories | 1.4% | 49 | Healthcare |
Dover Corp. | 1.4% | 65 | Industrials |
Stanley Black & Decker Inc | 1.4% | 53 | Industrials |
Target Corp | 1.3% | 53 | Consumer Defensive |
PPG Industries, Inc. | 1.3% | 49 | Basic Materials |
Becton, Dickinson And Co. | 1.3% | 49 | Healthcare |
Pentair plc | 1.3% | 44 | Industrials |
Lowe`s Cos., Inc. | 1.2% | 57 | Consumer Cyclical |
Albemarle Corp. | 1.0% | 26 | Basic Materials |
Brown-Forman Corp. | 1.0% | 31 | Consumer Defensive |
Expeditors International Of Washington, Inc. | 1.0% | 26 | Industrials |
Ecolab, Inc. | 0.9% | 35 | Basic Materials |
Cintas Corporation | 0.9% | 38 | Industrials |
Sherwin-Williams Co. | 0.8% | 42 | Basic Materials |
S&P Global Inc | 0.8% | 48 | Financial Services |
Roper Technologies Inc | 0.5% | 28 | Industrials |
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. | 0.2% | 27 | Healthcare |
Numerous companies on this list have brand value that stretches all over the globe—including the likes of McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, and Walmart.
Vast global recognition and branding power is in part why these companies can generate cash flows to pay dividends for decades on end. For instance, 94% of the world population recognizes Coca-Cola’s logo.
Zooming In
The 65 Dividend Aristocrat stocks break down into 11 sectors. Across sectors, Industrials is the most crowded, consisting of 14 companies, with an average yield of 1.6% and a dividend growth duration of 43 years. Popular stocks in this sector include 3M and Caterpillar.
Next is the Consumer Defensive sector, containing 13 companies like Clorox, Target, Pepsi, and Procter & Gamble. The average yield is 2.2%, with an average growing duration of 49 years.
The highest yield by sector belongs to Energy, at 5.5%, but is only made up of only Chevron and Exxon Mobil. Their dividend track record may falter in the years to come, due to transitions away from the oil business. Just last year, Big Oil firms reported record net income losses, and Exxon was booted from the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA).
The Consumer Cyclical sector has been increasing their dividend for an average of 50 years, the longest of any sector. Lowe’s and McDonald’s are involved in this category.
Businesses for Today and Tomorrow
Although the Dividend Aristocrats list is published every year, the companies on the list are a stable bunch, meaning changes are fairly infrequent.
In a market climate in part shaped by low rates and compressed yields in the fixed income space, Dividend Aristocrats might be a particularly attractive alternative for investors with a longer-term outlook.
Economy
Visualizing the Most Sought-After Entry Level Jobs in 2023
Some jobs need a degree, while others don’t. Here are the top 20 most sought-after entry level jobs with and without a degree.

The Most Sought-After Entry Level Jobs of 2023
In the fast-paced realm of job hunting, staying ahead of the curve is crucial. And if you are an entry-level job applicant, the pressure is a notch higher.
New entrants in any job market today compete with groundbreaking technology like ChatGPT in addition to their peers. In the United States, these applicants have to also wade through an uncertain labor market, inflation, and long lists of job requirements.
Indeed.com has identified the most sought-after entry level positions for applicants both with and without a degree in the U.S., and the year-on-year growth of these job postings.
Most Sought-After Entry-Level Jobs With a Degree
As the U.S. job market recovers from its pandemic slump, some careers are now booming. This in turn has opened up numerous opportunities for entry-level job applicants.
Rank | Job Title | Average Annual Salary | Change in Postings (2022‒2023) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Outside Sales Representative | $60,000 | +258% |
2 | Transportation Coordinator | $47,500 | +227% |
3 | Quality Auditor | $84,500 | +131% |
4 | Accounting | $52,000 | +125% |
5 | Tax Preparer | $67,500 | +123% |
6 | Loan Processor | $55,000 | +100% |
7 | Retention Specialist | $50,000 | +100% |
8 | Network Operations Technician | $85,500 | +94% |
9 | Mental Health Manager | $42,000 | +93% |
10 | Speech-Language Pathologist | $60,000 | +84% |
11 | Geotechnical Engineer | $65,000 | +80% |
12 | Patient Access Manager | $90,000 | +77% |
13 | HR Coordinator | $67,500 | +75% |
14 | Lead Generation Specialist | $62,500 | +73% |
15 | Design Coordinator | $55,000 | +73% |
16 | Pharmaceutical Sales Representative | $74,378 | +71% |
17 | Behavioral Therapist | $50,000 | +68% |
18 | Special Events Coordinator | $54,000 | +67% |
19 | IT Engineer | $92,500 | +67% |
20 | Structural Engineer | $90,000 | +63% |
The demand for sales jobs multiplied this year as customer-facing businesses slowly returned to their pre-pandemic levels.
At the top of this list is the job for an Outside Sales Representative. Paying upwards of $60,000, postings for this job have grown by over 250% in a year, making it the most sought-after position for applicants with a degree.
The healthcare industry has secured its place in the top ranks too. Careers including mental health case managers, speech pathologists, behavioral therapists, and patient access managers dominate the Top 20 list.
Let’s not forget about the tech sector. While entry-level network technicians can earn upwards of $85,000 on average, while IT engineers are paid an entry package of over $90,000.
Most Sought-After Entry-Level Jobs Without a Degree
Nearly 65% of the U.S. working population does not have a four-year degree. However, millions of these workers continue to be highly skilled across professions and have a shot at some of the most sought-after entry level jobs in the country.
Rank | Job Title | Average Annual Salary | Change in Postings (2022‒2023) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Inventory Manager | $59,000 | +189% |
2 | Auto Body Technician | $82,500 | +100% |
3 | Environmental Health and Safety Specialist | $65,000 | +100% |
4 | Salon Manager | $41,000 | +95% |
5 | Drafting Technician | $50,000 | +94% |
6 | Business Analyst | $72,500 | +82% |
7 | Sheet Metal Mechanic | $62,140 | +67% |
8 | Aircraft Maintenance Technician | $57,500 | +64% |
9 | Catering Manager | $47,500 | +56% |
10 | Transportation/Logistics Coordinator | $62,500 | +53% |
11 | Route Sales Representative | $50,000 | +51% |
12 | Rental Agent | $45,520 | +50% |
13 | Distribution Center Coordinator | $52,500 | +47% |
14 | General Maintenance Technician | $40,650 | +46% |
15 | Patient Care Coordinator | $43,152 | +44% |
16 | Forestry Technician | $45,760 | +43% |
17 | Relationship Banker | $43,576 | +43% |
18 | Field Sales Representative | $57,018 | +42% |
19 | Park Ranger | $45,912 | +42% |
20 | Warehouse Receiver | $45,000 | +39% |
One example of this job is that of an Inventory Manager. The demand for skilled inventory managers in warehouses and companies post-pandemic has doubled the position’s job share in a year.
One of the highest paying non-degree jobs in this list—Auto Body Technician—can fetch highly-skilled entry-level workers a salary of $82,000 per year.
These jobs don’t seem to require a degree according to Indeed. However, the rising competition for these positions might give the upper edge to applicants with one, especially for jobs on the list such as Business Analyst and Relationship Banker.
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