Dividend Aristocrat

A Dividend Aristocrat is an S&P 500 company that has increased its dividend every year for at least 25 consecutive years, a formal designation tracked by S&P Dow Jones Indices. The list currently runs to several dozen companies across a range of industries.

The 25-year streak requirement means Dividend Aristocrats have, by definition, kept raising their payout through multiple recessions, including 2008 and 2020, which is why income investors treat the list as a screen for durable, shareholder-friendly businesses rather than just high current yield.