3 Top Dividend Stocks to Buy in October and Hold for Decades to Come

Group 1: Visa - Visa has faced pressure from the U.S. Department of Justice due to a civil antitrust lawsuit, claiming it monopolizes the debit market with over 60% of debit transactions in the U.S. [2] - Despite the lawsuit, Visa's business model, which is based on transaction volume and fees, has allowed it to maintain a high operating margin of 67% and convert 55% of sales into net income [3][4] - Visa has increased its dividend by 73.3% over the last five years and has a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 27.7, indicating it remains a strong investment opportunity [4][5] Group 2: Kinder Morgan - Kinder Morgan has a robust backlog of projects valued at $5.2 billion, supporting future distribution increases and demonstrating a commitment to returning capital to investors [6][7] - The company plays a significant role in the U.S. natural gas market, transporting about 40% of the natural gas produced in the country and operating 139 terminals [6] - Kinder Morgan's stock is valued at 8.9 times operating cash flow, which is a premium to its five-year average, but its strong free cash flow generation supports its dividend payments [7] Group 3: PPG Industries - PPG Industries has an average return on equity (RoE) of 22.7% over the last decade, indicating strong profitability in the paint industry [8] - The company is well-positioned to improve earnings and dividends due to its exposure to interest rate-sensitive sectors and its leadership in the aerospace coatings market [10] - PPG is the second-largest global paint and coatings company, benefiting from a consolidating industry and ongoing demand for coatings [10]