As The Market Nears Its All-Time High, Should Investors Get Defensive? Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM), Kimberly Clark Corp (KMB)

Kimberly Clark Corp (NYSE:KMB) is a consumer products giant with a market value north of $33 billion.  The company holds classic American brands including Kleenex, Huggies, and Cottonelle.  Last year, the company raised its dividend for the 40^th year in a row.  Moreover, the company has paid dividends for 78 straight years.  Kimberly-Clark trades at a reasonable forward P/E ratio of 14 times.  The company guided investors to expect dividend growth in the high single digits going forward.

The Bottom Line

It’s impossible to know whether we’re on the precipice of the next great market run, or whether the economy is on the brink of another headwind.  I’m invested for the long term, meaning I’ll be an owner of stocks for the next several decades.  As Warren Buffett famously quipped, my ideal holding period is forever.  Stocks that provide an ever-increasing stream of profits and dividends are my favorite investments.  With the Dow nearing its all-time high, the three aforementioned stocks will be on my watchlist as a great way to both keep equity exposure as well as reduce volatility.

The article As The Market Nears Its All-Time High, Should Investors Get Defensive? originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Robert Ciura.

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