Dividend Aristocrats List 2022: Ranking the Best Dividend Stocks

Below you’ll find the Dividend Aristocrats list and a free dynamic ranking system that updates in real-time.

I’m now sourcing live data via Google Finance and Finviz to determine the rankings. 

Visit the page at any time to see the latest scores. The detailed 35-point scoring methodology is outlined below the table. You’ll also find tips for selecting the best Dividend Aristocrat stocks and the best brokers for dividend growth investing. 

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Dividend Aristocrats List and Rankings

Note: If you like this free resource, please explore the site and consider subscribing to my free articles. 

Keep reading after the table to learn about the dynamic ranking system and how I source the data. 

The default sort is by the ranking score, highlighting the most undervalued Dividend Aristocrats at the top. You can sort it as you like. 

You may also download this table as a free Dividend Aristocrats spreadsheet, CSV, or PDF. Swipe to scroll across the table on mobile. 

01/26/2022: Additions BRO, CHD; Deletion T (S&P Global Press Release)
12/20/2021: Deletion LEG moved from S&P 500 to S&P 400 Mid Cap Index
02/01/2021: Additions IBM, NEE, WST; Deletions CARR, OTIS, RTX (S&P Global Press Release)
05/21/2020: ROST suspended dividend – Removed from table 09/29/20
04/06/2020 Removed UTX, added RTX. OTIS, CARR
Update for 2020: Added AMCR, ALB ATO, ESS, EXPD, O, ROST. PX to LIN.
Update for 2019: Added CB, CAT, UTX, PBCT. 
Update for 2018: Added AOS, PX, ROP 

Dividend Aristocrats Ranking Methodology

The table above has the updated Dividend Aristocrats list and a dynamic ranking system designed to highlight the most undervalued Dividend Aristocrats at a given point in time, worthy of more research. 

I call this a quick value rankings list because it’s a first-glance look at the current best value opportunities. Keep in mind that this is in no way a complete way to evaluate a stock. Further research is necessary before buying one of these stocks.

Don’t consider this ranking system a recommendation to buy or sell individual stocks. However, use it as a starting point for further due diligence and research.

I also make no guarantee of the accuracy of this data. Data is sourced from Finviz, so it’s as good as they provide it. This table is now fed with near real-time data.

I’m currently using a 35-point system to rank the stocks based on my own investment philosophies and objectives.

Up to five points are awarded to each stock based on the following criteria:

• Current P/E Ratio
• Forward P/E Ratio
• Current Yield
• PEG Ratio (Price to earnings growth)
• Price to Book Ratio
• Payout Ratio
• 5-Year Dividend Growth Rate (DGR)

These are seven valuation measures I use in my own investing. 

Below you can see the vital data, but I’m calculating the scoring behind the scenes because it doesn’t fit. Basic logical commands calculate the scoring based on the metrics listed after the table.

If you have any suggestions for additional metrics, please write them in the comments section. Data that is N/A, negative, or unavailable is scored as zero.

The table and calculations are done with a Google Sheet, utilizing the GOOGLEFINANCE function for the stock price and IMPORTHTML function connecting to Finviz for most other fields. I get the dividend growth rate (5-YR DGR) from the Dividend Radar CCC spreadsheet. 

What are the Dividend Aristocrats?

The S&P Dividend Aristocrats Stocks List is a group of companies that have paid and increased dividends for 25 years or more. Income investors favor Dividend Aristocrats because the companies are solid long-term holdings with predictable, safe, and growing dividend payments.

The list is maintained by S&P Global and updated once a year in late January. 

Dividend growth is a key metric for income investors to ensure income growth outpaces inflation. Stability and reliability are also important factors so that income streams remain consistent in a retirement portfolio.

To learn more about the Dividend Aristocrats, visit the Standard & Poors Indices Website.

Dividend Aristocrats Stocks List Eligibility

To be eligible for membership in the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats list, a company must meet the following criteria (source):

• Be a member of the S&P 500
• Have increased dividends every year for at least 25 consecutive years
• Meet minimum float-adjusted market capitalization and liquidity requirements

S&P maintains the complete eligibility standards of the Dividend Aristocrats list. 

The Dividend Champions List is not bound by membership in the S&P 500 index, so smaller companies qualify. In addition, the Champions follow the fiscal year instead of the calendar year.

So the S&P 500 rules may not include certain companies with great dividend histories (such as Parker Hannifin) whose streaks are fiscal year based.

Many dividend growth investors prefer the Dividend Champions, Challengers, and Contenders (CCC) for its more comprehensive range of companies.

But the Dividend Aristocrats are the most famous, so many investors choose to stick with the most well-known list. I’ve chosen to do the same for this exercise to keep the size of the table manageable.

How to Buy the Most Undervalued Dividend Aristocrat Stocks

You can attempt to buy each Dividend Aristocrat stock one at a time or use an ETF such as “NOBL”. 

Either way, I’m a big fan of the online broker M1 Finance. With M1 Finance, you can create your own “pie“, a kind of a customized mini-ETF. Then you can buy all the stocks in the pie at once.

Every time you add funds to your account, M1 will automatically buy more of the most undervalued stocks in your portfolio. 

M1 Finance is commission-free. The main difference between M1 Finance and old-fashioned brokers is you create your ideal portfolio first, then fund and modify it over time. 

M1 is popular for its simplicity and excellent design. Part broker, part robo-advisor. It was founded by a 25-year-old Stanford grad and is geared toward that generation. Super-slick desktop and mobile usage.

Learn More at M1 Finance

Read more: M1 Finance Review

Help Selecting the Best Dividend Stocks

For those looking for help in selecting the best dividend growth and retirement income stocks, I use and recommend The Sure Dividend Newsletter. The newsletter has a strong focus on Dividend Aristocrats.

I’ve been a paid subscriber to this newsletter to supplement my own stock research for the past 2 years. Each month, Sure Dividend recommends its top 10 dividend growth stock picks, plus rankings of 600+ other of the best dividend stocks in the market. Highly recommended.

Anyone nearing retirement or already retired may be looking for investment ideas that yield 4%+. Sure Dividend has a specific newsletter for you called the Sure Dividend Retirement Newsletter. This service focuses on safe high-yielding MLPs, BDCs, and high-yield stock investments to help build retirement income.

Both services come with a 7-day free trial.

Detailed Scoring Metrics

I’ve updated the table to be dynamically generated in real-time. A Google Sheet feeds the table, which gets its data from the IMPORTHTML function that connects to Finviz, a financial site. 

TTM P/E Ratio (Finviz)

• 0-10, 5 points
• 10.01-15, 4 points
• 15.01-20, 3 points
• 20.01-30, 2 points
• 30.01-40, 1 point
• >40, 0 points

Forward P/E Ratio (Finviz)

• 0-10, 5 points
• 10.01-15, 4 points
• 15.01-20, 3 points
• 20.01-30, 2 points
• 30.01-40, 1 point
• >400, 0 points

Dividend Yield (Finviz)

• >4%, 5 points
• 3.01%- 4.0%, 4 points
• 2.01%-3.0%, 3 points
• 1.01%-2.0%, 2 points
• 0.01%-1.0%, 1 point
• No dividend, 0 points

PEG Ratio (Finviz)

• 0.0-1.0, 5 points
• 1.01-2, 4 points
• 2.01-3, 3 points
• 3.01-4, 2 points
• 4.01, 5, 1 point
• >5.0, 0 points

Price to Book (Finviz)

• 0-2, 5 points
• 2.01-4, 4 points
• 4.01-6, 3 points
• 6.01-8, 2 points
• 8-10, 1 point
• >10, 0 points

Payout Ratio (Finviz)

• <35%, 5 points
• 35.01%- 45.0%, 4 points
• 45.01%-60.0%, 3 points
• 60.01%-75.0%, 2 points
• 75.01%-90.0%, 1 point
• >90.00% =, 0 points

5-Year Dividend Growth Rate (Dividend CCC List from Dividend Radar)

• >=15%, 5 points
• 10%- 14.99%, 4 points
• 7.5%-9.99%, 3 points
• 5.0%%-7.49%, 2 points
• 2.5%-4.99%, 1 point
• <2.5% =, 0 points

Please provide any feedback you may have in the comments section or by contacting me. I’m happy to consider other metrics or adjusting the methodology as long as the data is available and it fits into the screen.

Why Invest in the Dividend Aristocrats?

Dividend growth investors pay close attention to a few lists of stocks to help quickly weed out companies without a proven long-term dividend commitment.

The most widely used is the S&P Dividend Aristocrats List. Dividend Aristocrats are stocks that are part of the Standard & Poors 500 index and have maintained a continuous dividend payment and growth streak of 25 years or more. They also must meet minimum certain market capitalization and liquidity requirements.

The Dividend Aristocrats are, as their name suggests, an elite group. Today, the list consists of 50 stocks.

Some of the more popular members include Chevron (CVX), Proctor & Gamble (PG), Walmart (WMT), Coca-Cola (KO), and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ).

For dividend investors looking for excellent, wide-moat companies with superior business models and rock-solid management over the years, the Dividend Aristocrats List is a candy store.

For now, I’ve chosen to focus on the Dividend Aristocrats instead of the U.S. Champions, Challengers, and Contenders List (the “CCCs”) to keep the table more manageable. Though I also use the CCC list, many beginner-to-intermediate investors tend to favor the upper crust of dividend payers.

How to Use the Dividend Aristocrats Ranking System to find the Best Dividend Stocks

The ranking system is a STARTING POINT for further research. It’s a quick look at the Dividend Aristocrats list, comparable in one table.

Don’t just go and buy the top ten, that would be short-sighted. But use it to foster investment ideas and then go off and do your own research on the individual stocks. A high or low ranking through my automated system is not a recommendation to buy or sell any stock. Invest at your own risk!

Keep in mind that the data is only as accurate as Finviz, Google Finance, and the CCC list. All are reliable, but sometimes the table doesn’t update perfectly or the data is wrogn. Also, watch out for anomalies. For example, a stock could receive a “5” rating for a high yield, but the company may have lost the investors’ confidence and could be ready to cut the dividend.

Add this Dividend Aristocrats list ranking system to your list of stock research tools.

Photo source: Wikipedia Commons