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2 Elite S&P 500 Dividend Stocks to Buy Now and Hold Forever

July 7, 2025
08:15 PM
4 min read
AI Enhanced
investmenteconomystocksconsumer staplesretailmarket cyclesseasonal analysismarket

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It's nice to have cash deposited automatically deposited into your investment account on a regular basis. The S&P 500 (^GSPC -0. 79%) includes some of the largest and best es...

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4 min read

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investment

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Published

July 7, 2025

08:15 PM

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The Motley Fool

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Key Topics
investmenteconomystocksconsumer staplesretailmarket cyclesseasonal analysismarket

It's nice to have cash deposited automatically deposited into your investment account on a regular basis

The S&P 500 (^GSPC -0. 79%) includes some of the largest and best es in the world, and many of these companies can make solid income investments

Here are two S&P 500 companies that are offering much higher yields than the index's 1. 21% average

Image source: Getty Images

Constellation Brands Imported beer makes up nearly a fifth of all beer consumed in the U. , according to the Beer Institute, and Constellation Brands (STZ -1. 06%) is the top seller and importer of three of the top imported beers in the U. : Modelo, Pacifico, and Corona

Recent sales weakness due to macroeconomic issues has sent the stock down, but the company generates plenty of earnings to support growing dividends

Constellation Brands is paying out close to a third of its adjusted earnings in dividends

Its quarterly payment is $1. 02, which increased this year by $0

This puts the stock's forward dividend yield at an attractive 2

Top beverage makers Constellation Brands can make great income investments

While sales can soften when consumer spending trends weaken, these companies are selling an affordable duct that people consume throughout the year

This leads to stable sales, earnings, and dividends

Constellation has been paying a growing dividend since 2015

Beer makes up the far majority of the company', but it also generates a small amount of sales from wine and spirits

However, management has sold off some wine assets recently to imve the performance of that side of the

Management is aiming to more than $200 million annually in costs by fiscal 2028

This spells more earnings and dividend increases for holders

While the stock was falling this year, Constellation's beer remained the top market gainer in the first quarter, with six of the top 15 dollar -gaining beer brands in the U

This makes the recent dip in the price a good buying opportunity

The lower price has brought the forward price-to-earnings multiple down to a cheap 13. 6 at the time of writing

Management is still guiding for full-year adjusted earnings per between $12

Investors not only get the benefit of the above-average dividend yield but could see a nice return on the stock over the next five years

Depot Depot (HD -1. 14%) is the world's largest imvement retailer with 2,350 stores across the U. , Puerto Rico, the U

Virgin Islands, Guam, Canada, and Mexico

Constellation Brands, Depot has experienced soft sales over the past year

However, the stock has held up quite well and could surge to new highs if interest rates come down

The stock is currently offering an attractive forward yield of 2

Tariffs on imported goods raised concerns the potential for higher inflation, but so far, inflation has been relatively muted

The longer this continues, the greater the chance the Federal Reserve will lower interest rates, which would make financing jects more affordable and benefit Depot

The long-term trend of growing household net worth is a secular tailwind that has made Depot a solid growth stock, on top of its growing dividend

A $10,000 investment in the stock 20 years ago would be worth $107,000 today, or $176,000 including dividend reinvestment

Depot has paid 38 consecutive years of dividend payments, which are well covered by earnings

The company paid 61% of earnings in dividends to holders over the past year

It raised its quarterly dividend earlier this year by 2% to $2

Depot generates $162 billion in annual sales but is going after a $1 trillion addressable market in imvement

It has a solid competitive position in an important segment of the economy that should lead to many more years of growing dividend payments

John Ballard has no position in any of the stocks mentioned

The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Depot

The Motley Fool recommends Constellation Brands

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.