Updated on February 20th, 2026 by Nathan Parsh
The Dividend Aristocrats are among the highest-quality dividend growth stocks an investor can buy. They have increased their dividends for 25+ consecutive years.
Becoming a Dividend Aristocrat is no small feat. Beyond certain market capitalization and trading volume requirements, Dividend Aristocrats must have raised their dividends each year for at least 25 years, and be included in the S&P 500 Index.
This presents a high hurdle that relatively few companies can clear. For example, there are currently 69 Dividend Aristocrats out of the 500 companies that comprise the S&P 500 Index.
We created a complete list of all 69 Dividend Aristocrats, along with important financial metrics like dividend yields and price-to-earnings ratios. You can download an Excel spreadsheet of all 69 Dividend Aristocrats by clicking the link below:
Disclaimer: Sure Dividend is not affiliated with S&P Global in any way. S&P Global owns and maintains The Dividend Aristocrats Index. The information in this article and downloadable spreadsheet is based on Sure Dividend’s own review, summary, and analysis of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL) and other sources, and is meant to help individual investors better understand this ETF and the index upon which it is based. None of the information in this article or spreadsheet is official data from S&P Global. Consult S&P Global for official information.
An even smaller group of stocks have raised their dividends for 50+ years in a row. These are known as the Dividend Kings.
Genuine Parts (GPC) has increased its dividend for 70consecutive years, giving it one of the longest dividend growth streaks in the market. You can see all 57 Dividend Kings here.
There is nothing overly exciting about Genuine Parts’ business model. Still, its steady annual dividend increases prove that a “boring” business can be just what income investors need for long-term dividend growth.
Business Overview
Genuine Parts traces its roots back to 1928, when Carlyle Fraser purchased Motor Parts Depot for $40,000 and renamed it Genuine Parts Company. The original Genuine Parts store had annual sales of just $75,000 and only 6 employees.
It has grown into a sprawling conglomerate that sells automotive and industrial parts, electrical materials, and general business products. Its global reach includes North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe and is comprised of more than 3,000 locations.
Source: Investor Presentation
The industrial parts group sells industrial replacement parts to MRO (maintenance, repair, and operations) and OEM (original equipment manufacturer) customers. Customers are derived from a wide range of segments, including food and beverage, metals and mining, oil and gas, and health care.
Genuine Parts posted fourth-quarter and full-year earnings on February 17th, 2026. The company reported steady growth in 2025, with fourth-quarter sales rising 4.1% to $6.0 billion and full-year sales increasing 3.5% to $24.3 billion.
For the quarter, adjusted earnings-per-share of $1.55 compared to $1.61 in the prior year. For the year, adjusted earnings-per-share of $7.37 was down from $8.16 in 2024.
The company generated $891 million in operating cash flow and returned $564 million to shareholders through dividends.
For the quarter, North American Automotive sales were up 2.4% to $2.3 billion, due to contributions from both comparable sales growth and acquisitions. International Automotive was higher by 6.4% to $1.5 billion and Industrial increased 4.6% to $2.2 billion.
Genuine Parts also announced that it would be splitting its automotive and industrial businesses into two separate publicly traded companies.
Source: Investor Presentation
The separation is expected to take place in the first-quarter of 2027.
Additionally, Genuine Parts raised its quarterly, dividend 3.2% to $1.0625, extending the company’s dividend growth streak to 70 years.
For 2026, GPC forecasts 3% to 5.5% revenue growth, adjusted EPS of $7.50 to $8.00, and up to $700 million in free cash flow. The company remains focused on efficiency, cost control, and shareholder value.
Growth Prospects
Genuine Parts should benefit from structural trends, as the environment for auto replacement parts is highly positive. Consumers are holding onto their cars longer and increasingly making minor repairs to keep cars on the road longer, rather than buying new cars.
As average costs of vehicle repair increase as the car ages, this directly benefits Genuine Parts. According to Genuine Parts, vehicles aged six years or older now represent over ~70% of cars on the road. This bodes very well for Genuine Parts.
In addition, the automotive aftermarket products and services market is significant. Genuine Parts has a sizable portion of the $200 billion (and growing) automotive aftermarket business.
One way the company has historically captured market share in this space has been through acquisitions. It has made several acquisitions throughout its history.
For example, Genuine Parts acquired Alliance Automotive Group for $2 billion. Alliance is a European vehicle parts, tools, and workshop equipment distributor. In 2022, Genuine Parts completed its $1.3 billion all-cash purchase of Kaman Distribution Group, a leading power transmission, automation, and fluid power company.
More recently, the company announced that it would be separating its automotive and industrial businesses, allowing each to focus on their own areas of growth.
We expect 7% annual EPS growth over the next five years for Genuine Parts.
Competitive Advantages & Recession Performance
The biggest challenge facing the retail industry right now, is the threat of e-commerce competition. However, automotive parts retailers like NAPA are not exposed to this risk.
Automotive repairs are often complex, challenging tasks. NAPA is a leading brand, thanks partly to its reputation for quality products and service. Customers value being able to ask questions to qualified staff, which gives Genuine Parts a competitive advantage.
Genuine Parts has a leadership position across its businesses. All of its operating segments represent the #1 or #2 brand in their respective categories, leading to a strong brand and steady customer demand.
Genuine Parts’ earnings-per-share during the Great Recession are below:
2007 earnings-per-share of $2.98
2008 earnings-per-share of $2.92 (2.0% decline)
2009 earnings-per-share of $2.50 (14% decline)
2010 earnings-per-share of $3.00 (20% increase)
Earnings-per-share declined significantly in 2009, which should come as no surprise. Consumers tend to tighten their belts when the economy enters a downturn.
That said, Genuine Parts remained highly profitable throughout the recession, and returned to growth in 2010 and beyond. The company remained highly profitable in 2020, despite the economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
There will always be a certain level of demand for automotive parts, which gives Genuine Parts’ earnings a high floor.
Valuation & Expected Returns
Based on the most recent closing price of ~$117 and expected 2026 earnings-per-share of $7.75, Genuine Parts has a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.6. Our fair value estimate for Genuine Parts is a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.1.
As a result, Genuine Parts is slightly overvalued at present. Multiple expansion could decrease annual returns by 0.1% per year over the next five years.
Genuine Parts’ future earnings growth and dividends will add to future returns. We expect Genuine Parts to grow its earnings-per-share by 7% annually over the next five years.
The stock also has a 3.6% current dividend yield. Genuine Parts has a highly sustainable dividend. The company has paid a yearly dividend since it went public in 1948.
Adding it all up, Genuine Parts’ total annual returns could consist of the following:
7% earnings growth
3.6% dividend yield
0.1% valuation multiple compression
Genuine Parts is expected to generate total annual returns of 9.9% over the next five years. This is a strong rate of return, but just below our target threshold for a buy rating.
Final Thoughts
Genuine Parts does not get much coverage in the financial media. It is far from the high-flying tech startups that typically receive more attention. However, Genuine Parts is a very appealing stock for investors looking for stable profitability and reliable dividend growth.
Due to favorable industry dynamics, the company has a long runway of growth ahead. It should continue to raise its dividend each year, as it has for the past seven decades.
Given its history of dividend growth, Genuine Parts is suitable for investors desiring income and steady dividend increases each year. With an 9.9% expected rate of return, GPC stock is a hold.
If you are interested in finding more high-quality dividend growth stocks suitable for long-term investment, the following Sure Dividend databases will be useful:
The major domestic stock market indices are another solid resource for finding investment ideas. Sure Dividend compiles the following stock market databases and updates them monthly:
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