7 Dividend Stocks That Show Why Cash is King - 3 of 7

Next on this list of dividend stocks to own for the long haul is The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO). Coke is the world’s largest beverage company, with over 500 brands that give it mass appeal to a variety of consumers. It also holds a minority stake in Monster Beverage Corp. (NASDAQ: MNST).  

The dividend king is a favorite of Warren Buffett and with good reason. The company has increased its dividend for 62 consecutive years, and that’s backed up by a solid 4.9% annualized growth rate in the three years ending in 2024. 

And despite the company’s considerable size, it continues to generate sizable free cash flow. For the full year 2024, the company generated $6.8 billion in free cash flow. But that includes a $6 billion deposit the company made to the IRS related to ongoing tax litigation. Excluding that, the company’s FCF came in at $10.8 billion which was over $1 billion higher than the $9.7 billion in FCF it managed in 2023.