Dividend Growth Stocks: 10 Stocks That Have Paid Dividends Since The 1800s

10 Stocks That Have Paid Dividends Since The 1800s

Over the last several years many companies have chosen to not raise their dividend, while some decided to cut their dividend and some even decided to stop paying a dividend. In some cases their financials did not warrant the change. As investors in dividend growth stocks, we want to look for companies with a positivedividend culture.

Below are 10 companies that have a long-standing pro-dividend culture. They have paid an uninterrupted dividend since the 1800s - more than 100 years - and have increased their dividend for at least the last 10 years. They are presented here in ascending rank of how long they have paid a dividend, included also is the number of years of consecutive increases:

PPG Industries, Inc. (PPG) | Yield: 2.5%
Dividends since: 1899 | Increases: 38 years
PPG is a leading manufacturer of coatings and resins, flat and fiber glass, and industrial and specialty chemicals.

Colgate-Palmolive (CL) | Yield: 2.7%
Dividends since: 1895 | Increases: 48 years
Colgate-Palmolive Company (Colgate) is a major consumer products company that markets oral, personal and household care, and pet nutrition products in more than 200 countries and territories.

Coca-Cola Company (KO) | Yield: 2.8%
Dividends since: 1893 | Increases: 49 years
The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest soft drink company with a sizable fruit juice business.

Procter & Gamble (PG) | Yield: 3.2%
Dividends since: 1891 | Increases: 54 years
The Procter & Gamble Company is a leading consumer products company that markets household and personal care products in more than 180 countries.

UGI Corporation (UGI) | Yield: 3.2%
Dividends since: 1885 | Increases: 24 years
UGI Corp. operates propane distribution, gas and electric utility, energy marketing and related businesses through subsidiaries.

Consolidated Edison, Inc. (ED) | Yield: 4.5%
Dividends since: 1885 | Increases: 37 years
Consolidated Edison, Inc. is an electric and gas utility holding company that serves parts of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) | Yield: 2.3%
Dividends since: 1882 | Increases: 28 years
Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) formed through the merger of Exxon and Mobil in late 1999, is the world's largest publicly owned integrated oil company

NSTAR (NST) | Yield: 3.4%
Dividends since: 1879 | Increases: 13 years
NSTAR I a Boston-based holding company that serves some 1.4 million electric and natural gas customers in Massachusetts, has agreed to be acquired by Northeast Utilities.

Stanley Black & Decker Inc. (SWK) | Yield: 2.8%
Dividends since: 1877 | Increases: 44 years
Stanley Black & Decker Inc. is diversified global provider of hand tools, power tools and related accessories and systems resulted from the March 2010 merger of StanleyWorks and Black & Decker.

WGL Holdings Inc. (WGL) | Yield: 2.5%
Dividends since: 1852 | Increases: 35 years
WGL Holdings Inc. provides natural gas service in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area and surrounding regions, including Maryland and Virginia.

Searching for companies with a strong dividend culture is a great place to start, but before buying we must also consider other important factors such as: dividend fundamentals, ability to cover the dividend and fair value. Ultimately, we want to buy companies that can sustain a growing dividend.

Full Disclosure: Long CL, KO, PG, ED. See a list of all my income holdings here.