3 Top Dividend Stocks to Own No Matter What Happens to Interest Rates This Year

The Federal Reserve opted to keep interest rates steady in its June meeting, to no one's surprise. And the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) sees interest rates rising before the year is out, before eventually settling down in 2027. At least, that's the goal.

Investors shouldn't change their long-term strategy based on short-term interest rate movements; high-quality companies can survive and often thrive in any kind of economy. Some of the best are top dividend stocks with a long-term track record of resilience and dividend raises. Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), Realty Income (NYSE: O), and Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) are three excellent choices.

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1. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is a Dividend King, which means that it's raised its dividend for at least 50 consecutive years. It has weathered every kind of storm, from hyperinflation to global pandemics, and it's committed to its dividend enough to reach a payout ratio of more than 100% when times have been tough.

As Warren Buffett noted, when describing it as one of his favorite stocks, Coca-Cola has a global brand and a leading position. Its products always have a place in the economy, and it has a strong cash position.

It has pricing power, which has allowed it to raise prices as costs rise without curbing demand, and its localized production has helped it avoid the worst of President Trump's tariff schemes.

Even as inflation persists, Coca-Cola has been reporting strong performance. Organic revenue increased 10% year over year in the 2026 first quarter, and operating margin was 35%, up from 32.9% the previous year. It also has plenty of growth opportunities. It's using artificial intelligence to hone in on specific demand across its global enterprise, giving fans exactly what they want.

Coca-Cola stock is beating the market this year, up 20% versus 8% for the S&P 500, and its dividend yields 2.5% at the current price.

2. Realty Income

Realty Income is a real estate investment trust (REIT), and one of the biggest in the world, with nearly 15,600 properties. It leases its properties to large chain stores in essential retail, which is a formula for resilience and success, since these are reliable, established companies that can pay their rent.

Some of its largest tenants include Walgreens, FedEx, and Home Depot. More recently, it has branched out into other spaces, including gaming and industrials, and it's also expanding further into Europe. In fact, it has nearly 1,800 clients in 92 industries, although about 80% are in retail.

Realty Income has strong credit ratings and substantial capital resources that enable it to keep buying new, quality properties; it deployed $72 billion from 2019 through now on $555 billion of sourced volume. That keeps it in growth mode and provides security for shareholders.

The stock offers a dividend yield of 5.1% at its current price, and it has a special, unusual perk for dividend stocks: it pays monthly. It has paid dividends for 672 months straight without fail, amounting to 56 years of reliable passive income for shareholders. It has also raised its dividend quarterly for 115 quarters, or nearly 29 years. It's a dividend and a stock that you can trust under pressure.

3. Procter & Gamble

Procter & Gamble is also a Dividend King and one of only six companies that have raised their dividends for at least 70 years. That's as reliable as it gets.

You likely know the company for its consumer goods brands that span health and baby care to beauty and household products, including favorites like Tide, Bounty, and Charmin. These are everyday essentials that everyone needs, creating dependable, long-term growth drivers. The company has been around for almost 200 years, giving you some sense of its place on American store shelves.

The company isn't fast-growing at this point, but it does generally report low single-digit growth, and it makes acquisitions and launches new products that generate higher revenue and keep consumers coming back for more. In the 2026 fiscal third quarter (ended March 31), sales were up 7% year over year, and earnings per share were up 6%.

At the current price, Procter & Gamble's dividend yields 2.9%, making it ultra-reliable and also high-yielding.

Jennifer Saibil has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Home Depot and Realty Income. The Motley Fool recommends FedEx. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.