3 Dividend Aristocrats Under $100 to Buy and Hold Forever

Imagine buying Apple back in the 1980s, when a share cost around 10 cents on a split-adjusted basis. Stories like that are why investors still seek affordable, high-quality investments under $100 that have the potential to skyrocket in the next few decades. 

However, price alone does not make a stock worth buying, and not every sub-$100 stock becomes the next Apple or Nvidia. 

That is where dividends add another layer of safety. While investors wait for potential price growth, dividends provide regular payouts. Of course, dividends not remove risks, they can make a stock more attractive when the business is established, the payout is reasonable, and the company has a long record of increasing payments.

So, for today’s list, I focused on Dividend Aristocrats worth watching. These are S&P 500 companies that have increased their dividends for at least 25 consecutive years, demonstrating consistency through changing markets and difficult business environments. 

Let’s get started. 

How I Came Up With The Following Stocks

Using Barchart’s Stock Screener, I selected the following filters to get my list:

• Annual Dividend Yield % (FWD): Left blank so I can sort it later from highest to lowest.
• Dividend Payout Ratio (%): 35-65%. The sweet spot suggests that the company balances shareholder returns and reinvestment.
• Last Price: $100 or less.
• Current Analyst Rating: 3.5 to 5. These are rated “Moderate” to “Strong Buy” by Wall Street.
• Number of analysts: 12 or more. The more the coverage, the higher the rating confidence.
• Dividend Investing Ideas: Dividend Aristocrats.

I set the filters, ran the screen, and got 11 results. I will cover the top three with the highest forward annual dividend yield.

Let’s start with the first dividend stock:

McCormick & Company (MKC)

The first Dividend Aristocrat on my list is McCormick & Company, a global flavor company behind spices, seasonings, sauces, and condiments used in everyday cooking. Recently, McCormick announced plans to combine with Unilever’s Foods business, a move that would make it an even larger player in global flavor. 

McCormick has raised its dividends for 40 consecutive years and pays a forward annual dividend of $1.92, translating to a yield of approximately 4.10%. It has a dividend payout ratio of 60%, suggesting the company is not afraid to allocate a large portion of its earnings to shareholders. Still, the remaining 40% for reinvestment isn’t bad. 

A consensus among 13 analysts rates MKC stock a “Moderate Buy,” with the mean and high target prices suggesting between 13% and 36% upside potential. 

Medtronic Inc (MDT)

The next Dividend Aristocrat on my list is Medtronic, a global medical technology company whose devices support areas like heart care, diabetes, surgery, and neuroscience. Recently, Altaviva, its ankle-implanted treatment for urge urinary incontinence, was named a 2026 Edison Award winner. This was a big win for Medtronic, as the Edison Award is known to recognize not only commercially viable products but also breakthrough innovations that push the boundaries of medical technology. 

In terms of dividends, Medtronic pays $2.84 per share annually, yielding around 3.7%. It also maintains a dividend payout ratio of 50%, suggesting a good balance between growth and shareholder value. The company has also increased its dividends for 48 consecutive years.

That consistency is just one of the many reasons why a consensus among 28 analysts rates MDT stock a “Moderate Buy”, with a low to high target price suggesting between 17% to 56% potential upside.

Abbott Laboratories (ABT)

And last but definitely not least is Abbott Laboratories, a stock that I’ve covered multiple times before. This healthcare giant is best known for its diagnostics, medical devices, nutrition products, and established pharmaceuticals. One of its biggest growth drivers today is its diabetes care business, particularly the FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitoring system, which continues to see strong global adoption.

Abbott currently pays $2.52 per share annually, which yields 3%, while maintaining a dividend payout ratio of 46%. 

Meanwhile, it has the only “Strong Buy” rating on this list with an average score of 4.43. Its low-to-high target prices suggest between 8% and 68% upside potential - again, the highest on this list. 

Final Thoughts

These three Dividend Aristocrats under $100 may not move very quickly, but they offer some of the best qualities long-term investors look for: consistency and stable payouts. And while target prices are not sure things, a positive consensus among many Wall Street analysts says a lot about the stock’s potential performance. 

But, then again, there’s no such thing as a 100% certainty in the market. So even if you do buy these stocks, always keep an eye on your positions and watch for any potential news that could impact their performance.