3 Dividend Stocks to Hold for the Next 20 Years

By Keith Speights – Feb 15, 2026 at 4:47AM ESTKey PointsAbbVie has demonstrated its ability to successfully navigate change.Coca-Cola will likely soon increase its dividend for the 64th consecutive year.Realty Income offers a high dividend yield and low volatility.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 dividend stocks are built for the long haul.Buy. Hold. Receive dividends. That's a highly simplified three-step process for investing in dividend stocks. But which stocks should you buy? And how long should you hold them? Different investors will answer those questions differently. Here are my picks for three dividend stocks to hold for the next 20 years. 1. AbbVie AbbVie (ABBV +1.76%) is a member of the elite group of stocks known as Dividend Kings, which have increased their dividends for at least 50 consecutive years. The drugmaker's streak of dividend hikes now stands at 54 years. Its forward dividend yield is an attractive 3.1%. ExpandNYSE: ABBVAbbVieToday's Change(1.76%) $4.00Current Price$231.50Key Data PointsMarket Cap$409BDay's Range$228.00 - $234.7452wk Range$164.39 - $244.81Volume8.3MAvg Vol6.5MGross Margin83.38%Dividend Yield2.87% My primary reason for buying and holding AbbVie for the next 20 years, though, is that the company has demonstrated its ability to successfully navigate change. Exhibit A is the patent cliff that AbbVie faced with the loss of exclusivity for its previous best-selling drug, Humira. The company handled this challenge skillfully and quickly returned to growth. I'm confident that AbbVie will survive and thrive going forward. 2. The Coca-Cola Company The Coca-Cola Company (KO 0.43%) is even kinglier than AbbVie. The giant beverage maker is also a member of the Dividend Kings, having increased its dividend for an impressive 63 consecutive years. I fully expect that Coca-Cola will soon add another year of dividend increases. Its forward dividend yield is a respectable 2.6%. 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% Since the first Coca-Cola was served at an Atlanta soda fountain in 1886, the beverage industry has undergone significant changes. Coca-Cola has adapted to all of them. Today, the company markets 30 brands with annual sales of $1 billion or more. Image source: Getty Images. 3.

Realty Income Unlike AbbVie and Coca-Cola, Realty Income (O +1.36%) isn't a Dividend King. However, the real estate investment trust (REIT) has increased its dividend for 30 consecutive years. Even more impressively, Realty Income has grown its dividend for 112 straight quarters. ExpandNYSE: ORealty IncomeToday's Change(1.36%) $0.88Current Price$65.66Key Data PointsMarket Cap$60BDay's Range$64.75 - $66.0052wk Range$50.71 - $66.28Volume5.8MAvg Vol6.5MGross Margin48.14%Dividend Yield4.92% If you're looking for an ultra-high dividend yield, Realty Income could be right up your alley. Its forward dividend yield tops 5%. The REIT shouldn't have any problems continuing to fund its dividend program. In the third quarter of 2025, Realty Income's adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) were $1.08 per share, well above the $0.807 per share in dividends paid during the quarter. The stock's beta since its listing on the New York Stock Exchange in 1994 is 0.5. This level reflects Realty Income's low volatility. The combination of a high dividend yield and low volatility makes this REIT stock an excellent choice to buy and hold for the long term. Read NextFeb 14, 2026 •By John BallardThe Best Dividend Stocks to Buy and Hold ForeverFeb 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 TodayAbout the AuthorKeith Speights is a contributing Motley Fool healthcare analyst covering publicly traded companies across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, technology, and marijuana. Prior to The Motley Fool, Keith was CEO of Constant Care Technology, a healthcare technology company; vice president of American HealthTech, a healthcare software company; and a director of operations for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi, a health insurer. He holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Mississippi State University.TMFFishBizStocks MentionedCoca-ColaNYSE: KO$78.66 (0.43%) $0.34Realty IncomeNYSE: O$65.66 (+1.36%) $+0.88AbbVieNYSE: ABBV$231.50 (+1.76%) $+4.00*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.