By Robert Hauver
With July 4th rapidly approaching, I started wondering which dividend paying stocks are the oldest companies in America. I also tried to sort out which ones have the best history of paying and increasing dividends, and, just as important, which ones might be healthy enough to actually invest in.
This “Old Timer’s Club” has a mixed membership, in more ways than one:
3 banks, 3 industrial giants, 2 insurance companies, 1 consumer goods manufacturer, 1 publisher, and 1 water utility.