The Best Dividend Stocks to Buy and Hold Forever

By John Ballard – Feb 14, 2026 at 2:45AM ESTKey PointsCoca-Cola’s brand strength, 63-year dividend growth streak, and economic resilience make it a solid long-term investment.Pepsico’s 60 consecutive years of dividend payments and strong brand portfolio make it a quality dividend growth stock.We’re bullish on these 10 stocks ›NYSE: KOCoca-ColaMarket Cap$338BToday's Changeangle-down(-0.43%) $0.34Current Price$78.66Price as of February 13, 2026 at 3:58 PM ETThese companies are built to pay dividends for decades.Top consumer brands with a long history of paying dividends are offering attractive yields right now. These rock-solid companies can help boost your passive income in 2026, with the potential for that income stream to grow over time. Here's why Coca-Cola (KO 0.43%) and Pepsico (PEP 0.75%) are two of the best dividend stocks to buy now and hold for a lifetime. Image source: Getty Images. Coca-Cola Coca-Cola's brand strength, 63-year dividend growth streak, and economic resilience easily make it one of the best dividend stocks to buy and hold for the long term. Its iconic brand and global distribution give the company a solid advantage in a competitive marketplace. Its wide moat is evidenced by its pricing power and market share gains. This allows Coca-Cola to raise prices without experiencing a significant dip in demand. It regularly reports higher revenue growth than unit case volume, driven in part by higher selling prices. In the third quarter, its unit case volume grew just 1% year over year, but overall adjusted (non-GAAP) revenue rose 6%. ExpandNYSE: KOCoca-ColaToday's Change(-0.43%) $-0.34Current Price$78.66Key Data PointsMarket Cap$338BDay's Range$78.10 - $79.3952wk Range$65.35 - $80.41Volume677KAvg Vol18MGross Margin63.34%Dividend Yield2.59% Coca-Cola's brand power leads to high margins and growing free cash flow to fund its dividend. Its current quarterly dividend payment of $0.51, or $2.04 annualized, represents about two-thirds of its trailing earnings and yields 2.60%. This dividend payment should grow in lock step with earnings, which analysts expect to grow at a 6% annualized rate over the long term, making Coca-Cola a solid income investment. Pepsico Pepsico is another top consumer brand that stands out as a quality dividend growth stock. It has paid dividends for 60 consecutive years. This extensive record reflects one of the strongest consumer brand portfolios, including Lay's, Gatorade, Doritos, and Pepsi. ExpandNASDAQ: PEPPepsiCoToday's Change(-0.75%) $-1.26Current Price$165.94Key Data PointsMarket Cap$227BDay's Range$164.98 - $167.8552wk Range$127.60 - $171.48Volume463KAvg Vol8.5MGross Margin54.36%Dividend Yield3.39% Like Coca-Cola, Pepsico benefits from a globally diversified distribution network. Consumer brands have had a challenging couple of years amid inflation and other macroeconomic headwinds, but PepsiCo has navigated similar challenges throughout its multi-decade history. The company is starting to round the corner, as revenue grew by more than 5% year over year, accelerating from the previous quarter. It also notched a solid 11% increase in adjusted earnings per share. Pepsico is investing to make its products more affordable through productivity gains, while investing in healthier products to mitigate risks of shifting consumer preferences. Its recent fourth-quarter growth shows some of these initiatives bearing fruit. It just announced a 4% increase to its annualized dividend per share. The company plans to pay $5.92 in dividends per share over the next year. PepsiCo's forward dividend yield is now 3.52%. This represents 69% of analysts' 2026 earnings estimate. For a company with a consistent operating history and a half-century record of dividend increases, that is an attractive proposition for income investors.Read NextFeb 13, 2026 •By Leo Sun2 Consumer Staples Stocks to Buy in February 2026Feb 13, 2026 •By James BrumleyThe Best Dividend Stocks to Buy and Hold ForeverFeb 13, 2026 •By Reuben Gregg BrewerCoca-Cola Stock Is Interesting, But Here's What I'd Buy InsteadFeb 12, 2026 •By Matthew BenjaminBuffett's All-Time Favorite Stock Is Dropping. What's Going On?Feb 10, 2026 •By Billy DubersteinWhy Coca-Cola Was Falling TodayFeb 9, 2026 •By Leo SunThe 1 Stock I'd Buy Before Berkshire Hathaway Right NowAbout the AuthorJohn Ballard has been a contributing writer at The Motley Fool since 2016, covering consumer goods and technology stocks. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus in real estate finance from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.TMFRazorbackStocks MentionedCoca-ColaNYSE: KO$78.66 (0.43%) $0.34PepsiCoNASDAQ: PEP$165.94 (0.75%) $1.26*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.