Great Stocks for Both Bull and Bear Markets: PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP), McDonald’s Corporation (MCD)

A Shareholder’s Best Friends

Even better, McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD), Procter & Gamble, and PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE:PEP) are some of the most shareholder-friendly companies in existence. Last year, McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) returned $5.5 billion to shareholders in the form of dividends and share buybacks. The company increased its dividend 10%, and will surely do so again in the fall.

In fiscal 2012 Procter & Gamble returned $10 billion to shareholders through dividends and buybacks. The company is the gold standard for dividend payers—in fiscal 2012, the company paid a dividend for the 122^nd year in a row. That kind of track record places Procter & Gamble in elite company. Only eight other U.S.-based companies have paid dividends to shareholders for as long. In addition, P&G increased its dividend for the 56^th year in a row.

Earlier this year, PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE:PEP) announced a new $10 billion share buyback program, to be completed over the next three years. The company also announced a 5.6% increase in its annualized dividend. Under these programs, the company expects to return a total of $6.4 billion to shareholders in 2013 through dividends and share buybacks.

When it comes to these stocks, you don’t have to worry about their businesses vanishing because of economic calamity in Europe or some geopolitical event. In addition, each of these companies has a long history of providing hefty dividends and buybacks to shareholders, adding yet another layer of safety to protect your portfolio against a falling market.  These stocks will help secure your financial future and allow you to sleep well at night for many years to come.

The article Great Stocks for Both Bull and Bear Markets originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Robert Ciura.

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