Alphabet Just Joined the Dow Jones Industrial Average. 3 Dow Dividend Stocks to Buy Now.

Source Motley_fool

Key Points

  • Cisco Systems is on a roll with its AI-powered platform.

  • Coca-Cola saw volume growth in each of its marketing segments in the first quarter.

  • Amgen's anti-obesity drug has the potential to be a significant driver.

  • 10 stocks we like better than Cisco Systems ›

Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) is shaking up the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The Google parent joined the famed index on June 29, replacing Verizon Communications and providing additional exposure to advertising, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and information technology.

In doing so, it joins a very select group. There are thousands of stocks on the New York Stock Exchange, but only 30 are included in the Dow, an important barometer of the overall market that encompasses key sectors such as technology, finance, and consumer stocks.

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There's a lot to like about Alphabet. It has a strong advertising business, with revenue from Google Search, YouTube, and the Google Network. And it has a fast-growing cloud computing segment that had 63% revenue growth in the first quarter. But one area that it's lacking is dividends -- Alphabet's dividend yield is only 0.3%, and since the company is investing so much in artificial intelligence infrastructure, it will be difficult to greatly expand its payout in the near future.

So, if you're an income investor who wants both a solid dividend payout and strong stock performance, you need to look elsewhere. Fortunately, there are three great options to consider in Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO), Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), and Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN). All of them are having solid years, and all are already members of the DJIA.

A stock board with numbers, green arrows, and red arrows.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Cisco Systems

Cisco is a tech company that makes hardware and security infrastructure for enterprise computing and internet networking. But it's seeing renewed investor attention recently, as its AI products have helped Cisco reach -- and then exceed -- highs set at the turn of the century. The company's Silicon One platform provides programmable networking architecture and application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) for server provider networks and AI data centers.

Revenue in the third quarter of fiscal 2026 (ended April 25) was $15.8 billion, up 12% from a year ago. Net income was $3.4 billion, up 35%, and earnings per share of $0.85 was up 37% from last year.

"We believe the trust our customers and partners place in us has never mattered more, and our technology is more relevant than ever in the AI era," CEO Chuck Robbins said. "As a result, we saw record high demand in Q3."

Cisco stock is up 47% so far this year. The stock has a dividend yield of 1.5%, which is higher than the tech sector's average of 1.37%. Cisco has increased its dividend for the last 14 years.

2. Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola built its beverage business on its namesake carbonated soft drink, but it makes a lot more than that. The Atlanta-based company has a portfolio of soft drinks, lemonade, water, tea, juices, sports drinks, coffee, and alcoholic beverages. The company says 1.9 billion servings of its products are consumed every day.

Its revenue in the first quarter was $12.5 billion, up 12% from a year ago, with higher demand for the company's beverages. Organic revenue, which does not include acquisitions, divestitures, or currency, rose 10%. All of the company's marketing segments saw volume growth in the quarter, including its home market. North America volume increased 4% from a year ago.

Coca-Cola stock is up 18.2% this year, and the company's dividend yield is a strong 2.6%, topping the average yield of 1.9% in the consumer staples sector. Coca-Cola has raised its dividend for 65 consecutive years, putting it on the exclusive list of companies that have achieved Dividend King status (dividend growth for 50 consecutive years).

3. Amgen

Amgen is a biopharmaceutical company that makes treatments for cancer, heart disease, autoimmune conditions, obesity, and more.

Its anti-obesity drug has the potential to be a significant driver. Amgen completed phase 2 trials for its drug candidate MariTide and is seeking to position it as a medicine with a less intensive dosing schedule than competing drugs already on the market. MariTide, if approved, would be administered monthly rather than weekly, unlike other anti-obesity medications.

Revenue in the first quarter was $8.6 billion, up 6% from a year ago, and earnings per share increased 4% to $3.20. Amgen said 16 products posted double-digit sales growth in the first quarter, and 17 products are projected to exceed $1 billion in sales, based on first-quarter numbers.

Amgen stock is up nearly 10% this year and has a dividend yield of 2.8%. The company has increased its payout for 15 years, and its yield tops the 1.6% average yield for healthcare stocks.

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Patrick Sanders has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amgen, and Cisco Systems. The Motley Fool recommends Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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