5 Best Dividend Aristocrat Stocks To Buy Heading Into Recession

2. Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 67

Dividend Yield as of September 27: 1.72%

Number of Years of Consecutive Dividend Growth: 49

Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT), an American multinational retail corporation, is one of the best dividend aristocrat stocks to buy for recession. Demand for Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) products will not falter due to a slower economic cycle, which makes it a safe investment. Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) has consistently paid increasing dividends for the last 49 years. The firm paid out its latest quarterly dividend of $0.56 per share on September 6. 

On September 14, KeyBanc analyst Bradley Thomas assumed coverage of Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) with an Overweight rating and a $155 price target, citing “an outlook for defensive growth, market share gains, and margin recovery to normal levels”. 

According to Insider Monkey’s data, Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) was part of 67 hedge fund portfolios at the end of the second quarter of 2022, compared to 60 in the prior quarter. Rajiv Jain’s GQG Partners is the leading stakeholder of the company, with 9.8 million shares worth $1.2 billion.