Better Dividend King to Buy Right Now: Abbott Labs or Johnson & Johnson?

Two notable healthcare companies, Abbott Laboratories and Johnson & Johnson, are both part of the Dividend Kings club, having raised their dividends for over 50 years consecutively. However, Abbott's recent performance has been lagging behind Johnson & Johnson's growth. Abbott faced challenges in its diagnostics and nutrition segments, legal and regulatory issues, and lawsuits affecting its baby formula product.

Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson navigated patent exclusivity loss, government negotiations, and introduced new products like Icotyde and Ottava, demonstrating promising growth potential. With a stronger revenue and earnings track record, Johnson & Johnson's dividend history is also longer, with 64 straight years of increases compared to Abbott's 54.

Despite Abbott's acquisition of Exact Sciences, offering potential growth, Johnson & Johnson's overall performance and dividend growth make it the more attractive investment at the moment.