10 Safest Dividend Stocks to Buy Right Now

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6. Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK)

Beta: 0.19

Dividend Yield: 2.83%

Ex. Dividend Date: June 15, 2026

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is one of the 10 safest dividend stocks to buy right now.

On May 22, 2026, Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) completed a $6 billion underwritten public offering of senior notes across multiple tranches. The issuance carried out under an existing 2010 indenture with U.S. Bank Trust National Association spans maturities from 2028 to 2056. The offering consists of $500 million in floating-rate notes due 2028, alongside six fixed-rate tranches totaling $5.5 billion with coupons ranging between 4.300% and 5.850%. The company has spread the maturities over a wide horizon, thereby successfully diversifying its liability profile and securing long-dated capital to fund ongoing corporate needs.

In another development, on the same day, Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) announced that the EMA’s CHMP recommended approval of Keytruda combined with Padcev as a perioperative treatment for adults with resectable muscle-invasive bladder cancer ineligible for cisplatin chemotherapy. Based on the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-905 trial, the regimen reduced the risk of event-free survival events by 60% and death by 50% compared to surgery alone. Underscoring its commitment to shareholder returns, Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) has raised its annual dividend payout for sixteen consecutive years.

Founded in 1891 and based in New Jersey, Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is a healthcare firm that provides health solutions, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products. It operates in pharmaceuticals, animal health, and other segments.

While we acknowledge the potential of MRK to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than MRK and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Safest Dividend Stocks to Buy Right Now.

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