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Dividends are a big part of our investing philosophy, as we believe that dividend growth investing is a tried-and-true approach to building wealth over the long run.
For example, the Dividend Aristocrats are a group of 69 stocks in the S&P 500 Index, that have increased their dividends for over 25 years in a row.
Dividend growth investors should focus on high-quality businesses with strong competitive advantages and future growth potential. The following three Dividend Aristocrats are attractive stocks for long-term dividend growth investors.
Dividend Aristocrat #1: Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
Johnson & Johnson is a diversified health care company and a leader in the area of innovative medicines and medical devices. The company is projected to generate more than $93 billion in revenue this year.
On October 14th, 2025, Johnson & Johnson reported third quarter results for the period ending September 30th, 2025. For the quarter, revenue grew 6.7% to $24 billion, which was $240 million more than expected.
Adjusted earnings-per share of $2.80 compared favorably to $2.42 in the prior year and was $0.04 ahead of estimates. Revenue for Innovative Medicines grew 6.8% on a reported basis and 5.3% on an operational basis.
Oncology grew 21.3% due to ongoing high demand for Darzalex, which treats multiple myeloma, and continued high demand in several other products. Revenue for MedTech grew 6.8% on a reported basis and 5.6% on an operational basis.
Future growth will be driven in part, by significant acquisitions. For example, in January 2025, the company announced that it had agreed to acquire Intra-Cellular Therapies (ITCI) for $14.6 billion. ITCI specializes in therapeutics for central nervous system disorders.
Johnson & Johnson has a very impressive dividend history. On April 15th, 2025, Johnson & Johnson announced that it was increasing its quarterly dividend 4.8% to $1.30, extending the company’s dividend growth streak to 63 consecutive years.
Dividend Aristocrat #2: Genuine Parts Company (GPC)
Genuine Parts Company was founded in 1928 and since that time, it has grown into a sprawling conglomerate that sells automotive and industrial parts, electrical materials, and general business products.
Genuine Parts posted third quarter earnings on October 21st, 2025. Adjusted earnings-per-share came to $1.98. Revenue was up 5% year-over-year to $6.3 billion, beating estimates by $180 million. Sales were up due to a 2.3% year-over-year.
The Industrial segment saw sales gain 4.6% to $2.3 billion, which was due to a 3.7% increase in comparable sales, a 1.1% gain from acquisitions, and a 0.2% unfavorable impact from forex. Automotive segment sales were 5% higher to $4 billion.
Genuine Parts is also a Dividend King, having raised its dividend for an incredible 69 consecutive years.
Dividend Aristocrat #3: Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)
Archer-Daniels-Midland is the largest publicly traded farmland product company in the United States. Its businesses include processing cereal grains, oilseeds, and agricultural storage and transportation.
Archer-Daniels-Midland reported its third-quarter results for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 on November 4th, 2025. The company reported mixed Q3 2025 results, with adjusted EPS of $0.92, beating expectations by $0.07, while revenue of $20.37 billion declined 2.2% year over year and missed estimates. GAAP net earnings were $108 million, or $0.22 per share, while adjusted net earnings totaled $448 million.
Despite softer profitability, year-to-date operating cash flow reached a strong $5.8 billion, supported by working capital improvements and portfolio optimization.
In contrast, Nutrition delivered solid growth, with operating profit up 24%, led by margin expansion in Human Nutrition and strong recovery in Animal Nutrition, which surged 79% year over year.
The acquisition of Ziegler Group and the establishment of a nutrition flavor research and customer center are expected to contribute to improved growth prospects. This positive outlook leads us to anticipate a feasible growth rate of approximately 4.0% for the future.
Archer-Daniels-Midland's business is recession resilient since the demand for food products is not cyclical. Archer Daniels-Midland is one of the most significant players in its industry and has competitive advantages due to its scale and geographical reach.
The company has been increasing its dividend for 50 consecutive years and has a 5-year dividend growth rate of 7.2%.
