The ASX has many income-paying shares that could be described as 'safe' dividend stocks. No stock offers a completely safe stream of income that can compare to a term deposit or a government bond, for example. But there are still many stocks on the ASX that most people would feel reasonably confident will continue to pay out consistent dividends.
However, there is another place to find dividend stocks that makes the ASX's most consistent payers look like amateurs. The US markets are home to most of the world's best businesses. And that means the world's best dividend stocks.
Here are two of those stocks, and why I think they just might be a pair of the safest dividend investments in the world. As much as any share can be, anyway.
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Two dividend stocks with ultra-reliable payouts
Procter & Gamble Inc (NYSE: PG)
Procter & Gamble isn't exactly a household name, in Australia or the US. But many of its dozens of household brands are. They range from Oral-B toothpaste and Old Spice deodorant to Fairy dishwashing and Gillette razors.
These products can be found right around the world. They are trusted brands that consumers don't think twice about buying over and over again. Thanks to the essential nature of this valuable brand portfolio, Procter & Gamble is a great example of a quality, all-weather stock with an incredibly reliable earnings base from which it can pay shareholders dividends. And that makes Procter & Gamble a stellar dividend stock.
To prove this durability, this company has one of the longest streaks of annual dividend increases around, with shareholders getting a pay rise for 69 years in a row (including in 2025).
Procter & Gamble stock last traded on a dividend yield of 2.85%.
Coca-Cola Co (NYSE: KO)
Our next stock is about as 'household name' as it comes. Coca-Cola needs little introduction as the largest beverage company in the world. Its namesake product is simply as iconic as iconic gets, and one of the most universally recognised products on the planet. But not Coca-Cola Co's only money spinner. Its stable of products ranges from Sprite and Fanta to coffee and energy drinks. This company has been batting away competition and perfecting its advertising for generations.
Again, these products have been around a very long time and are trusted by consumers. They are also incredibly inflation– and recession-resistant. Once more, we can look to Coca-Cola's dividend record for proof of that. This company has one of the longest streaks of annual dividend increases around, with shareholders getting a pay rise for 69 years and counting.
I think it's fair to say that this dividend streak will continue for many decades to come. Coca-Cola stock was recently trading with a yield of 2.79%.
