Top 26 Dividend Stocks to Buy and Hold in 2026

• The top dividend stocks for 2026 include many that offer ultra-high yields of over 6%.

• The list includes some stocks with low dividend yields but great growth prospects.

• Several of these dividend stocks also have attractive valuations.

• 10 stocks we like more than Alphabet ›

I have a New Year’s tradition. It doesn’t involve fireworks or eating certain foods. Instead, in the first week of January, I identify my highest dividend stocks to buy and hold into the new year.

Many of the stocks on this year’s list are repeats of 2025, but there are some new entrants as well. Without further ado, here are my top 26 dividend stocks to buy and hold in 2026.

Let’s start with the Dividend Kings, an elite group of stocks that have increased their dividends for at least 50 consecutive years. I like three members of the 2026 dividend royalty:

Data source: Yahoo! Finance. Market capitalization and forward dividend yield as of December 31, 2025.

I especially like the AbbVie story. The major drugmaker faced a major patent cliff when its long-time best-selling drug, Humira, lost patent exclusivity in the United States in early 2023. However, AbbVie has bounced back strongly. I consider it one of the best healthcare stocks on the market for income investors.

The United States government exempts certain types of companies from paying federal income taxes if they return at least 90% of their profits to shareholders in the form of dividends. Two actions that fit perfectly are among my favorites for the new year:

Data source: Yahoo! Finance. Market capitalization and forward dividend yield as of December 31, 2025.

Realty Income could be especially popular with investors. In addition to a juicy yield, the REIT pays its dividends monthly. And Realty Income has increased its dividend for 30 consecutive years.

I doubt anyone will buy the shares of the so-called “Magnificent Seven” for their dividends, although several members of the group pay relatively small dividends. However, buying these stocks for their growth prospects is another story. Three of my top Mag7 dividend stocks are:

Data source: Yahoo! Finance. Market capitalization and forward dividend yield as of December 31, 2025.

I’m especially bullish about Google’s parent company, Alphabet, in 2026. It ticks almost all the boxes in the artificial intelligence (AI) space, with a top-three cloud platform, a leading large language model (LLM), and AI chips that are gaining traction in the market.

Energy stocks have long been favorites among income investors for their high and reliable dividend yields. In my opinion, these four energy stocks look especially promising:

Data source: Yahoo! Finance. Market capitalization and forward dividend yield as of December 31, 2025.

Enbridge is perhaps the most intriguing stock of this group. Its pipelines transport 30% of the crude oil transported in North America and approximately one-fifth of the natural gas consumed in the U.S. However, the company is also the largest natural gas utility in North America. Enbridge has increased its dividend for 31 consecutive years.

Utility stocks typically pay attractive dividends and can be safe havens in turbulent times. I like several utility stocks for 2026, among which these seven stand out:

Data source: Yahoo! Finance. Market capitalization and forward dividend yield as of December 31, 2025.

You’ve probably noticed that “Brookfield” was mentioned four times. Brookfield Renewable and Brookfield Infrastructure each have two listed shares: one for their limited partnerships (LPs) and one for their corporate entities. These companies are sisters that share the same parent company, Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE: BAM).

What’s better than a solid dividend? A solid dividend plus an attractive valuation. These six actions check both boxes:

Data source: Yahoo! Finance. Market capitalization and forward dividend yield as of December 31, 2025.

All of these stocks have forward price-to-earnings ratios that are much lower than S&P 500‘s (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) future earnings multiple. I think UnitedHealth Group stock, in particular, could rebound in 2026 after struggling in 2025.

Finally, I added an oddball to the list for 2026:

Data source: Yahoo! Finance. Market capitalization and forward dividend yield as of December 31, 2025.

FS Credit Opportunities is a closed-end fund that trades like shares of a company. It works similar to a BDC. I like their direct lending opportunities. And I love its ultra-high performance layout.

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Keith Speights has positions in AbbVie, Alphabet, Apple, Ares Capital, Brookfield Infrastructure, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, Brookfield Renewable, Brookfield Renewable Partners, Chevron, Clearway Energy, Dominion Energy, Enbridge, Energy Transfer, Enterprise Products Partners, Evergy, FS Credit Opportunities, Microsoft, Pfizer, Prudential Financial, Realty Income, US Bancorp, United Parcel Service and Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool holds positions in and recommends AbbVie, Alphabet, Apple, Ares Capital, Brookfield Asset Management, Chevron, Enbridge, Microsoft, Pfizer, Realty Income, US Bancorp, United Parcel Service, and Walmart. The Motley Fool recommends Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, Brookfield Renewable, Brookfield Renewable Partners, Dominion Energy, Enterprise Products Partners, UnitedHealth Group, and Verizon Communications and recommends the following options: long $395 January 2026 calls on Microsoft and short $405 January 2026 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The 26 Top Dividend Stocks to Buy and Hold in 2026 was originally published by The Motley Fool