Becton Dickinson

Becton Dickinson is one of the world's largest medical technology companies, making syringes, needles, diagnostic systems and a broad range of hospital supplies that are staples of everyday clinical care. Its scale in essential, high-volume medical consumables gives it steady demand that is largely insulated from economic cycles. The company has increased its dividend for more than three decades, a record that places it among the more dependable payers in healthcare. The yield is modest but the growth has been consistent, funded by reliable cash flows from recurring product sales. This is a solid, steadily rising dividend profile, though carrying the integration and debt considerations that come with a serial acquirer.