Identifying stocks to buy and hold for decades rather than months or years can be difficult. The world and the economy are constantly changing, creating risks for long-term investors. A dividend payment from a large, profitable company with a leading market share in a stable or growing industry is about the closest thing to a guarantee a long-term investor can find. In fact, dividends alone have accounted for about 40% of total stock market returns over the past 90 years.
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Here are seven attractively valued dividend stocks investors can bet on for the long term, according to Bank of America analysts:
| Stock | Forward Dividend Yield |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co. (ticker: JPM) | 2.2% |
| Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) | 2.6% |
| UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH) | 2.1% |
| Home Depot Inc. (HD) | 2.5% |
| Coca-Cola Co. (KO) | 2.8% |
| Chevron Corp. (CVX) | 5.1% |
| Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) | 2.7% |
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM)
JPMorgan Chase is one of the world’s largest banks and financial services companies with about $4 trillion in assets. JPMorgan took advantage of the 2023 U.S. regional banking crisis and acquired failed First Republic Bank after it was seized by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., or FDIC. Analyst Ebrahim Poonawala says JPMorgan’s best-in-class execution could differentiate the stock from big bank competitors if the U.S. economy slips into a recession. Poonawala says JPMorgan has a massive capital cushion and an extremely diversified revenue base. Bank of America has a “buy” rating and $281 price target for JPM stock, which closed at $252.56 on May 5.
Sector: Financials Yield: 2.2%
Procter & Gamble Co. (PG)
Procter & Gamble produces household consumer products and owns several popular brands, including Pampers, Tide and Gillette. Analyst Bryan Spillane says there’s no question tariff uncertainties have negatively impacted investor sentiment, but they have also overshadowed what would otherwise be an impressive performance from Procter’s underlying business. Management estimates tariffs could hurt earnings by between $1 billion and $1.5 billion annually under current proposals, but Spillane says he remains bullish on Procter’s long-term earnings power. In addition, declining commodity costs can help offset negative tariff impacts. Bank of America has a “buy” rating and $180 price target for PG stock, which closed at $158.83 on May 5.
Sector: Consumer staples Yield: 2.6%
UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH)
UnitedHealth is the largest U.S. managed health care firm, providing health plans and health care services to a wide range of customers. Analyst Joanna Gajuk projects a recovery in UnitedHealth’s OptumHealth business will support 13% overall revenue growth in fiscal 2026, the low end of the company’s guidance. However, Gajuk says the stock is trading at a significant earnings multiple discount to its historical average, and UnitedHealth has opportunities to leverage its high exposure to Medicare Advantage relative to other big health insurance peers. Bank of America has a “buy” rating and $560 price target for UNH stock, which closed at $404.81 on May 5.
Sector: Health care Yield: 2.1%
[SEE: 7 Best Monthly Dividend Stocks to Buy Now.]
Home Depot Inc. (HD)
Home Depot is one of the largest North American home improvement retailers. Analyst Robert Ohmes says home improvement spending has recovered lately, despite ongoing pressures from elevated interest rates. The company is expecting flat-to-modest growth in the home improvement category in 2025, but Ohmes says market share gains and strategic initiatives can help Home Depot outperform peers this year. He says Home Depot also has a unique catalyst in targeting complex project professionals, a category which has been contributing significant incremental sales growth. Bank of America has a “buy” rating and $450 price target for HD stock, which closed at $361.73 on May 5.
Sector: Consumer discretionary Yield: 2.5%
Coca-Cola Co. (KO)
Coca-Cola is a leading non-alcoholic beverage company. Spillane says Coca-Cola’s sparkling beverage and water sales have supported impressive overall unit case volume. Solid volume growth plus gains from pricing and product mix helped Coca-Cola generate 6% overall organic sales growth in the first quarter. Spillane says Coca-Cola’s pricing and product mix leverage differentiate the company from peers, but investors should keep an eye on Mexico sales numbers. Management says consumer sentiment toward Coca-Cola brands has slipped in Mexico, possibly in response to U.S. immigration policies. Bank of America has a “buy” rating and $77 price target for KO stock, which closed at $71.70 on May 5.
Sector: Consumer staples Yield: 2.8%
Chevron Corp. (CVX)
Chevron is a global oil major that operates exploration and production, petrochemical, refining, and marketing businesses. In January, Chevron reported its first oil production from its 50% owned TengizChevroil (TCO) Future Growth Project in the Tengiz oil field in Kazakhstan. Analyst Jean Ann Salisbury says the start of TCO production and any potential risks to the project stemming from geopolitical tensions will be key issues for investors. Salisbury says a cash flow inflection from the TCO project is a central part of her bull thesis. Bank of America has a “buy” rating and $172 price target for CVX stock, which closed at $135.50 on May 5.
Sector: Energy Yield: 5.1%
Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO)
Cisco Systems provides networking, cloud, and cybersecurity hardware and software solutions. Analyst Tal Liani says high network utilization is fueling a rebound in demand following years of inventory absorption. In addition, artificial intelligence infrastructure investments are supporting Cisco’s cloud, service provider and enterprise segment sales. Liani says Cisco is well positioned to capitalize on improving demand given the company’s diversified portfolio of routing, optical and silicon solutions. More than half of Cisco’s revenue is now recurring, and Liani anticipates ongoing sales growth through at least 2026. Bank of America has a “buy” rating and $76 price target for CSCO stock, which closed at $59.32 on May 5.
Sector: Technology Yield: 2.7%
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7 Dividend Stocks to Buy and Hold Forever originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 05/06/25: This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
