Coca-Cola has paid nearly $100 billion in dividends over the past 15 years.
ExxonMobil returned $36 billion in cash to shareholders last year, the fifth-most among S&P 500 members.
Johnson & Johnson generated $20 billion in free cash flow last year, easily covering its dividend outlay.
10 stocks we like better than Coca-Cola ›
Some companies excel at generating cash. They operate mature businesses that produce significantly more profit than they need to support their continued expansion. That gives them lots of money to pay dividends.
Here are four top money-printing dividend stocks.
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Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO) owns an iconic portfolio of soft drinks, water, teas, and other beverage brands that generate substantial cash. Last year, the company produced $10.8 billion in free cash flow, $8.5 billion of which it paid out in dividends. Over the last 15 years, it has distributed nearly $100 billion in cash dividends to shareholders.
The company’s durable and growing cash flows have enabled it to steadily increase its dividend payment. Coca-Cola raised it by 5.2% earlier this year, the 63rd straight year it has increased its payout. That puts the beverage giant in the elite group of Dividend Kings, companies with at least 50 years of consecutive annual dividend increases.
The company expects to produce even more cash in the future. Its long-term target is to organically grow its revenue by 4% to 6% annually, which should drive annual growth in earnings per share in the mid to high single digits. Coca-Cola plans to convert 90% to 95% of its growing earnings into free cash flow, which should support continued dividend increases.
ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) runs a large-scale global energy business that consistently produces significant cash flows. Last year, Exxon generated $55 billion in cash flow from operations, marking its third-best year in a decade, even though oil and gas prices were around their historical averages.
The company produced $36.2 billion in free cash flow and returned $36 billion to shareholders via dividends ($16.7 billion) and share repurchases ($19.3 billion). Those cash returns led the oil sector and ranked as the fifth-highest among S&P 500 companies.
The oil giant expects to invest $165 billion into major growth projects and its Permian Basin development program through 2030. These high-return investments should grow its annualized cash flows by $30 billion by 2030, assuming stable oil prices.
That has it on pace to produce a huge gusher of $165 billion in cumulative surplus cash over the next five years, which should support continued payout increases. With 42 straight years of dividend growth, Exxon has reached a level that only 4% of companies in the S&P 500 have achieved.
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Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) is a global healthcare leader that produced $20 billion in free cash flow last year. That’s after spending over $17 billion in research and development, which made it one of the world’s top R&D investors.
The company used its free cash flow to pay $11.8 billion in dividends in 2024 and strengthen its fortresslike balance sheet (it’s one of only two companies with a AAA credit rating). It has also deployed over $32 billion into strategic acquisitions over the past year and a half.
Heavy investments should support continued earnings and cash flow growth. That should enable Johnson & Johnson to extend its streak of dividend increases. It matched Coca-Cola’s 63rd annual dividend hike earlier this year, which also qualifies it as a Dividend King.
Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI) owns extensive natural gas infrastructure assets that generate stable and predictable cash flow. Take-or-pay agreements and hedging contracts lock in 69% of its annual revenue, while fee-based frameworks provide income visibility for another 26% of earnings.
The pipeline company expects to produce $5.9 billion in cash flow from operations this year. That easily covers its anticipated dividend outlay of around $2.6 billion.
This will provide Kinder Morgan with added excess free cash flow to invest in its large expansion projects. The company currently has over $9.3 billion of growth capital projects in its backlog, which it expects to complete through 2030.
Those projects will provide it with incremental sources of cash flow as they enter commercial service. That will give Kinder Morgan the fuel to continue increasing its dividend, which it has done for eight straight years.
Coca-Cola, ExxonMobil, Johnson & Johnson, and Kinder Morgan all print tons of cash each year. That gives them the money to reinvest in growing their business while also paying attractive dividends that steadily grow. These cash machines are great foundational companies to anchor any portfolio.
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Matt DiLallo has positions in Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, and Kinder Morgan. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Kinder Morgan. The Motley Fool recommends Johnson & Johnson. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
These 4 Dividend Stocks Are Money-Printing Machines was originally published by The Motley Fool
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