If you're looking for safe dividend stocks to hold for decades, there are some great companies out there you might not know about yet. The following stocks have been growing their dividend payments for 25 years or longer and pay above-average yields. Here's why Realty Income (NYSE: O) and (NASDAQ: FAST) are solid choices for retirement savers.

Concerns over consumer spending and a possible recession have sent shares of Realty Income down 18% over the past year. But the stock rallied through the end of 2023 as investors began to appreciate the stellar dividend record and quality tenant portfolio of this top real estate investment trust (REIT). Realty Income has a diversified portfolio of over 13,000 tenants that are under long-term net lease agreements with commercial clients, which provides high visibility into future dividend payments.

Realty Income has grown its monthly dividend for 31 consecutive years. As a REIT, it is required to distribute at least 90% of its taxable Income in the form of dividends to shareholders. The stock's current dividend yield is 5.60%, which is higher than the real estate industry average.

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Source Fool.com