2 dividend stocks Jim Cramer wants every retiree to own

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  • Realty Income ( O ) yields 5.61% and has paid 664 consecutive monthly dividends. Cramer calls it the staple stock for retirees looking for consistent income.

  • Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) is up 40% year to date as the risk of talc litigation appears to have peaked. Johnson & Johnson’s oncology sales rose 21% in the first half of the year.

  • If you’re thinking about retiring or know someone who is, there are three quick questions that make many Americans realize they may retire sooner than expected. take 5 minutes to learn more here

Retirees and the elderly are among the biggest demographics tuning in to Jim Cramer’s Mad Money show. You may disagree with Cramer’s investment methodology and criticize his failures, but there is no denying that his opinions are influential.

And when it comes to long-term dividend investing, those views have held up pretty well. Cramer’s opinion polls often go awry because he’s mostly asked about the hottest growth stocks, which are hard to value. But when you’re dealing with dividend stocks with a consistent track record, it’s no longer hit or miss. Jim Cramer has decades of experience with the stock market, and his input is worth paying attention to when it comes to dividend stocks.

Here are two dividend stocks he likes for retirees:

Real Estate Income (NYSE:O) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that has mostly retail tenants. Its tenants are strong and the company has been able to maintain a very stable and consistent portfolio over the years without any issues. The occupancy rate remained at 97% even in 2008 and continues to be high.

The consistency is such that Realty Income is called “The Monthly Dividend Company.” It pays dividends to its shareholders every month. The yield is currently 5.61% and it has declared 664 consecutive monthly dividends.

Cramer thinks highly of O shares, but he believes that “Real estate income is for people who are a little bit older.”

Earlier this year, a 67-year-old man called Cramer and asked about two high-yielding dividend stocks. But before he could finish the question, Cramer answered. He said, “No, no, no. If you need yield, go to our Real Estate Income.”

Realty Income is raising the bar to the point where it has become the monthly dividend stock. For retirees, I think it’s the best. The monthly dividends are convenient, and the yield is very high, but not unsustainable.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) began to develop a reputation for being a steady Eddie that you own for almost no earnings and little dividend yield. With a 2.5%+ yield readily available risk-free these days, JNJ stock hasn’t been the most attractive, despite being a dividend king with 63 consecutive years of dividend growth on record.

However, the story is quickly changing. The stock is now up 40% year-to-date, and that’s a rise that many believe could continue as JNJ recovers lost ground.

He interviewed the company’s CEO and said: “I was concerned about the lawsuits they have for talcum powder, but I think the asbestos risk in the baby powder litigation has increased. [peaked]He explained, “…J&J won all the cases and it’s clear to fight them one by one. Eventually, I bet the plaintiffs will realize it’s too expensive to keep taking J&J.”

He did a much deeper dive on Johnson & Johnson. On his Mad Money show, Cramer said, “Almost every other big pharma name is in the red for the year. So how the hell did Johnson & Johnson defy the gravitational pull of this healthcare bear market? First of all… It’s not just a drug company. It also has a great medical device business, which is 36% of their sales.”

He explained: “J&J also has great franchises and really exciting technologies in other areas… it’s done a fantastic job of overcoming this big patent expiration… the pharmaceutical business has grown and exceeded sales expectations… More importantly, J&J has a fabulous oncology business. It’s just on fire, with sales up 21% in the first six months of the year.”

He concluded his analysis of the company by saying “… a nice yield that’s just under 3%, a very rare AAA balance sheet, the bottom line here with so much momentum, but still a reasonable valuation… I say it could go to $200.”

You might think that retirement is all about picking the best stocks or ETFs, but you’d be wrong. Even large investments can be a liability in retirement. It’s a simple difference between accumulation and distribution, and it makes all the difference.

The good news? After answering three quick questions, many Americans overhaul their portfolios and discover they can retire earlier than was expected. If you are considering retirement or know someone who is, take 5 minutes to learn more here.

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