Are You Worried That Surging Oil Prices Will Cause a Recession and Impact Your Portfolio? Buy These Resilient Dividend Stocks and Put Your Mind At Ease.

By Matt DiLallo – Apr 5, 2026 at 9:30AM ESTKey PointsEnbridge has achieved its annual financial guidance for 20 straight years. Procter & Gamble has increased its dividend for 69 straight years. Realty Income has raised its monthly dividend for 114 consecutive quarters. Oil prices have skyrocketed this year due to the war with Iran. They could continue to rise if that conflict doesn't end soon, potentially triggering a recession. That would likely drive down stock prices. Given that risk, it makes sense to get more defensive. A smart strategy is to buy companies with more resilient business models that can withstand a recession. Here are three dividend stocks to buy that have proven their durability over the years. Image source: Getty Images. Enbridge Enbridge (ENB +0.93%) is a leading North American energy infrastructure company. It owns oil and gas pipelines, natural gas distribution utilities, and renewable energy generating facilities. Most of its assets operate under stable cost-of-service or contracted frameworks (over 98% of its annual earnings). As a result, Enbridge generates very predictable cash flow. Its earnings are so predictable that the Canadian company has achieved its annual financial guidance for 20 straight years. That includes two major recessions and several other market disruptions. The energy company pays out 60% to 70% of its stable cash flow in dividends. It currently yields more than 5%, well above the S&P 500's level of 1.2%. As a result, Enbridge can deliver a rock-solid base income return regardless of the market environment. ExpandNYSE: ENBEnbridgeToday's Change(0.93%) $0.50Current Price$54.15Key Data PointsMarket Cap$118BDay's Range$53.74 - $54.4852wk Range$39.73 - $55.44Volume4.8MAvg Vol5.5MGross Margin32.74%Dividend Yield5.05% Enbridge has increased its dividend for 31 consecutive years (in Canadian dollars), demonstrating its resilience during recessions. The company currently expects to grow its cash flow per share by around 3% in 2026 and by about 5% annually thereafter. It has secured expansion projects that should come online through the early 2030s, providing it with strong growth visibility. Enbridge's steadily rising earnings should give it plenty of fuel to keep increasing its dividend, even in a recession. Procter & Gamble Procter & Gamble (PG 0.67%) is a leading manufacturer of essential consumer products. Procter & Gamble owns brands such as Bounty, Charmin, Crest, and Gillette, among others. Demand for these products is very recession-proof. ExpandNYSE: PGProcter & GambleToday's Change(-0.67%) $-0.97Current Price$143.12Key Data PointsMarket Cap$333BDay's Range$142.58 - $144.2152wk Range$137.62 - $173.60Volume5.9MAvg Vol12MGross Margin51.11%Dividend Yield2.95% The company has an illustrious dividend history. Procter & Gamble has paid dividends for 135 consecutive years and has increased its payout for 69 straight years. That qualifies it as a Dividend King, a company with 50 or more years of annual dividend increases. The company's payout currently yields 3%. Procter & Gamble expects to deliver low-to-mid single-digit organic sales and earnings-per-share growth this year. Longer term, the consumer products giant expects to deliver faster sales growth than the market and mid-to-high single-digit earnings per share growth as its margins improve. The company will also make acquisitions to accelerate growth and innovation. It bought Wonderbelly in early 2026 to bolster its personal healthcare portfolio.

Realty Income Realty Income (O +0.53%) is a leading global real estate investment trust (REIT). It owns a diversified portfolio (retail, industrial, gaming, and other properties) secured by long-term net leases with many of the world's leading companies. It owns properties leased to tenants that operate in industries largely immune to economic downturns (e.g., grocery, convenience, and home improvement stores). Meanwhile, net leases provide very stable rental income because tenants cover all property operating costs, including routine maintenance, real estate taxes, and building insurance. ExpandNYSE: ORealty IncomeToday's Change(0.53%) $0.33Current Price$62.21Key Data PointsMarket Cap$58BDay's Range$61.80 - $62.6852wk Range$50.71 - $67.94Volume6.2MAvg Vol6.6MGross Margin48.73%Dividend Yield5.20% The REIT has delivered very resilient results over the years. It has only had one year when it didn't grow its cash flow per share (2009). Meanwhile, it has increased its dividend for 31 straight years, including the past 114 consecutive quarters. The landlord pays a monthly dividend that yields over 5%. Realty Income expects to invest $8 billion into expanding its global real estate portfolio this year. Those investments position the REIT to grow its cash flow per share, which should support continued dividend growth. Built to withstand recessions The war-fueled surge in oil prices could trigger a recession if prices keep rising. That's why investors should consider adding some more defensive stocks to their portfolio. Enbridge, Procter & Gamble, and Realty Income stand out for their ability to pay durable dividends that have continued to grow during recessions. Read NextApr 5, 2026 •By Lyle DalyThe Largest Energy Companies by Market Cap in April 2026Apr 3, 2026 •By Matt DiLallo20 Best High-Yield Dividend Stocks to Buy in 2026Mar 25, 2026 •By Keith SpeightsThe Iran Crisis Endgame: 3 Scenarios and the Stocks to Buy for EachMar 24, 2026 •By Rachel WarrenHow to Buy Dominion Energy Stock (D) in 2026Mar 20, 2026 •By Keith SpeightsThe Smartest Dividend Stocks to Buy With $2,000 Right NowMar 19, 2026 •By Reuben Gregg Brewer2 Oil Stocks to Buy Now and Hold For DecadesAbout the AuthorMatt DiLallo has been a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst specializing in covering dividend-paying companies, particularly in the energy and REIT sectors, since 2012. He also covers pre-IPO companies, ETFs, and other investing topics. He holds an MBA from Liberty University.TMFmd19X@MatthewDiLalloStocks MentionedEnbridgeNYSE: ENB$54.15(+0.93%)+$0.50Procter & GambleNYSE: PG$143.12(-0.67%)-$0.97Realty IncomeNYSE: O$62.24(+0.58%)+$0.36*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.