{
  "id": 2860263,
  "title": "Better Dividend King to Buy Right Now: Abbott Labs or Johnson & Johnson?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/better-dividend-king-to-buy-right-now-abbott-labs-or-johnson-johnson",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-23T20:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Motley Fool",
    "slug": "motley-fool",
    "url": "https://www.fool.com/investing/2026/08/23/better-dividend-king-to-buy-right-now-abbott-labs/?source=iedfolrf0000001"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Investors seeking dependable dividend stocks often turn to Dividend Kings - companies that have increased their payouts for at least 50 straight years. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) are two prominent healthcare firms in this exclusive group. However, their performance this year has diverged significantly. While Johnson & Johnson has outperformed broader market indices, Abbott Laboratories has struggled to keep pace with the market.\n\nAbbott has encountered various obstacles in recent years. Revenue and earnings growth have been weak, especially in its diagnostics and nutrition divisions. Additionally, the medical device company has faced legal and regulatory challenges. One notable issue is a series of lawsuits alleging that Abbott's baby formula contributed to health problems in premature infants. These setbacks have weighed heavily on the company's stock performance.\n\nWith Abbott's recent difficulties, Johnson & Johnson appears to be the stronger buy at this juncture. Its track record of dividend increases and ability to outperform the market suggest it may be the more advantageous investment choice for now.",
  "summary": "These two high-quality dividend payers have had very different fortunes recently.",
  "key_points": [
    "Abbott Laboratories has faced revenue and earnings growth challenges",
    "Johnson & Johnson outperformed market indices this year",
    "Abbott's recent difficulties include lawsuits over baby formula"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Finance",
        "title": "Better Dividend King to Buy Right Now: Abbott Labs or Johnson & Johnson?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/better-dividend-king-to-buy-right-now-abbott-labs-or-johnson-johnson-2862600",
        "published": "2026-08-23T20:20:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Nasdaq Markets",
        "title": "Better Dividend King to Buy Right Now: Abbott Labs or Johnson & Johnson?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/23/better-dividend-king-to-buy-right-now-abbott-labs-or-johnson-johnson-2868507",
        "published": "2026-08-23T20:20:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}