Six Consumer Stocks Paying Sustainable Dividends to Own in 2011

With the end of the financial crisis of 2007-2009, and unemployment leveling off, investors are once again bullish on stocks. The stock market, which many economists consider to be a leading indicator of the economy, is trading at its highest levels in over two years. Apart from the so called PIGS - Portugal, Ireland, Greece and Spain, the world economy is headed for another year of positive GDP growth in 2011. The most notable economic rebound is seen in the emerging market powerhouses like Brazil, China and India, where the growing number of middle class consumers is generating higher profits for the companies featured below. Overall, growth in the world economy translates into consumers increasing their discretionary spending and trading up from generic brands to brand name products.The companies that could benefit from the increase in consumer spending all have diversified portfolios of strong brand names, wide moats and high returns on equity. Their strong fundamentals have enabled them to weather several recessions over the past 2 decades and have also allowed them to increase dividends for over a quarter of a century. The companies that could benefit from increased consumer spending include:... Read more