20 Healthcare Dividend Stocks Each Investor Must Love

Buying and holding dividend-paying stocks has proven to be a terrific strategy for long-term investors. Companies with the ability to raise their dividends over time can become reliable sources of income for shareholders.

The healthcare industry can be a great place to find dividend-paying companies since healthcare spending tends to be recession-resistant. This allows companies with strong competitive positions to continue to pay out strong dividends, even if the economy takes a turn for the worse.

I've compiled some of the 20 most attractive dividend stocks from the sector in one sheet.

Here are the 5 best picks from the sector by yield...more in the attached sheet....

Sanofi -- Yield: 3.30%

Sanofi (NYSE:SNY) employs 113,496 people, generates revenue of $38,662.69 million and has a net income of $5,168.78 million. The current market capitalization stands at $129.88 billion.

Sanofi’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $11,694.36 million. The EBITDA margin is 30.25% (the operating margin is 18.01% and the net profit margin 13.37%).

Financials: The total debt represents 15.21% of Sanofi assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 26.40%. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 7.77% was realized by Sanofi.

Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $1.84. Last fiscal year, Sanofi paid $0.89 in the form of dividends to shareholders.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 26.45, the P/S ratio is 3.30 and the P/B ratio is finally 2.01. The dividend yield amounts to 3.30%.

Stock Charts:

Long-Term Stock Price Chart of Sanofi (SNY)

Long-Term Dividend Payment History of Sanofi (SNY)

Long-Term Dividend Yield History of Sanofi (SNY)

Johnson & Johnson -- Yield: 3.04%

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) employs 126,500 people, generates revenue of $74,331.00 million and has a net income of $16,323.00 million. The current market capitalization stands at $272.76 billion.

Johnson & Johnson’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $26,305.00 million. The EBITDA margin is 35.39% (the operating margin is 27.66% and the net profit margin 21.96%).

Financials: The total debt represents 14.31% of Johnson & Johnson assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 26.90%. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 22.70% was realized by Johnson & Johnson.

Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $5.59. Last fiscal year, Johnson & Johnson paid $2.76 in the form of dividends to shareholders.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 17.68, the P/S ratio is 3.68 and the P/B ratio is finally 3.94. The dividend yield amounts to 3.04%.

Stock Charts:

Long-Term Stock Price Chart of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)

Long-Term Dividend Payment History of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)

Long-Term Dividend Yield History of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)

Novartis AG -- Yield: 2.64%

Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) employs 133,413 people, generates revenue of $53,634.00 million and has a net income of $10,727.00 million. The current market capitalization stands at $270.78 billion.

Novartis AG’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $16,872.00 million. The EBITDA margin is 31.46% (the operating margin is 20.68% and the net profit margin 20.00%).

Financials: The total debt represents 16.24% of Novartis AG assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 28.77%. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 14.69% was realized by Novartis AG.

Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $4.33. Last fiscal year, Novartis AG paid $2.76 in the form of dividends to shareholders.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 23.36, the P/S ratio is 5.01 and the P/B ratio is finally 3.43. The dividend yield amounts to 2.64%.

Stock Charts:

Long-Term Stock Price Chart of Novartis AG (NVS)

Long-Term Dividend Payment History of Novartis AG (NVS)

Long-Term Dividend Yield History of Novartis AG (NVS)

Smith & Nephew -- Yield: 1.74%

Smith & Nephew (NYSE:SNN) employs 13,468 people, generates revenue of $4,617.00 million and has a net income of $501.00 million. The current market capitalization stands at $15.13 billion.

Smith & Nephew’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $1,403.00 million. The EBITDA margin is 30.39% (the operating margin is 16.22% and the net profit margin 10.85%).

Financials: The total debt represents 23.34% of Smith & Nephew assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 42.20%. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 12.39% was realized by Smith & Nephew.

Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $1.11. Last fiscal year, Smith & Nephew paid $1.18 in the form of dividends to shareholders.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 30.60, the P/S ratio is 3.25 and the P/B ratio is finally 3.75. The dividend yield amounts to 1.74%.

Stock Charts:

Long-Term Stock Price Chart of Smith & Nephew (SNN)

Long-Term Dividend Payment History of Smith & Nephew (SNN)

Long-Term Dividend Yield History of Smith & Nephew (SNN)

UnitedHealth Group -- Yield: 1.67%

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) employs 170,000 people, generates revenue of $130,474.00 million and has a net income of $5,619.00 million. The current market capitalization stands at $115.69 billion.

UnitedHealth Group’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $11,330.00 million. The EBITDA margin is 8.68% (the operating margin is 7.87% and the net profit margin 4.31%).

Financials: The total debt represents 20.15% of UnitedHealth Group assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 53.63%. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 17.40% was realized by UnitedHealth Group.

Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $6.00. Last fiscal year, UnitedHealth Group paid $1.40 in the form of dividends to shareholders.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 19.95, the P/S ratio is 0.87 and the P/B ratio is finally 3.52. The dividend yield amounts to 1.67%.

Stock Charts: