5 Dividend Paying Consumer Defensive Stocks

3. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO)

Dividend Yield as of April 1: 2.80%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 70

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO), a multinational beverage corporation, is one of the most notable dividend paying consumer defensive stocks. The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) is a significant dividend king, with 60 years of consecutive dividend increases under its belt. 

On February 17, The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) declared a $0.44 per share quarterly dividend, a 4.8% increase from its prior dividend of $0.42. The dividend was distributed on April 1, to shareholders of the company as of March 15. The stock delivers a yield of 2.80% as of April 1. 

Guggenheim analyst Laurent Grandet on April 1 raised the price target on The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) to $68 from $67 and kept a Buy rating on the shares. The analyst made the bull case for The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) given its plan to acquire Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ:MNST), as its valuation is now approaching an all-time low. 

Among the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey, 70 funds were bullish on The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO), compared to 61 funds in the prior quarter. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is the biggest shareholder of the company, owning 400 million shares worth $23.6 billion.