Here Are All the Dividend Kings Beating the S&P 500 in 2025 -- and the 2 That Are the Best Stocks to Buy Now

Core Insights - The S&P 500 has rebounded slightly after a significant drop but remains in negative territory for the year, while Dividend Kings are outperforming the index [1][3] - There are currently 55 Dividend Kings, with 31 of them beating the S&P 500 year to date as of May 1, 2025 [3] - Some Dividend Kings have shown remarkable performance, such as Consolidated Edison with a 25% increase and National Fuel Gas with over 30% gain year to date [4] Dividend Kings Performance - Not all Dividend Kings are performing well; for instance, Genuine Parts is barely positive, and Cincinnati Financial is down year to date but still better than the S&P 500 [4] - Income investors may find Altria and Universal Corporation appealing due to their high forward dividend yields of 6.88% and 5.57% respectively, despite potential reluctance due to their tobacco products [5] - Consumer defensive stocks like Coca-Cola and Wal-Mart are considered safe havens, with Coca-Cola's shares increasing nearly 15% [6] Sector Analysis - Healthcare stocks such as Abbott Labs and Kenvue have also shown double-digit percentage increases year to date, although they may face risks from potential tariffs [7] - The utilities sector is performing exceptionally well, with several Dividend Kings like Consolidated Edison and National Fuel Gas continuing to outperform the market [8] Top Picks - Coca-Cola and National Fuel Gas are highlighted as the best Dividend Kings to buy currently [9] - Coca-Cola is recognized as a strong blue-chip stock with a robust brand and a resilient business model [10] - National Fuel Gas is noted for its integrated energy operations and projected compound annual growth rate of over 10% through 2027, driven by the growing demand for natural gas in AI data centers [11][12]