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Further Reading from MarketBeat Media 3 "Forever Stocks" to Hold When the Market Won't Sit StillSubmitted by Chris Markoch. Published: 1/19/2026. 
In Brief - Chevron provides long-term income potential through disciplined buybacks, a growing dividend, and exposure to global energy markets.
- Colgate-Palmolive delivers consistency with a diversified brand portfolio and more than six decades of annual dividend increases.
- Merck combines near-term cash flow from Keytruda with a late-stage oncology pipeline aimed at sustaining future growth.
With so much volatility in the market, it's a good time for investors to consider stocks they can hold for the long haul. These compounders don't need to make up a large portion of your portfolio, but they're useful for investors who prefer to step away from their screens. Owning "forever stocks" is about more than chasing the next hot trade. It means building a portfolio around companies with durable competitive advantages, resilient cash flows, and shareholder-friendly capital allocation. These are the businesses that can weather economic cycles, adapt to industry shifts, and continue rewarding investors through dividends and long-term appreciation. The former CEO of Google calls it the most important thing to happen in 500, maybe 1,000 years of human society. A former U.S. Treasury Secretary says when your great-grandchildren write the history of this period, the political headlines will be the second or third story. The first story is something none of us have seen before. The dot-com collapse, global financial crisis, and COVID-19 pandemic don't compare to what's coming next. We may be entering a period of dramatic, almost unimaginable change. See the full warning and how to prepare now. Large-cap leaders with global footprints often fit this profile; they benefit from scale, strong brands, and balance sheets that allow them to invest through downturns while returning capital to shareholders. While even the best companies can experience periods of underperformance, history shows patience is often rewarded when the underlying business remains strong. Chevron: Energy Income With Long-Term Staying Power Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) is a large-cap energy company with significant operations in the Permian Basin and several deep-water drilling projects. The company also has investments in renewable energy. CVX's stock price is sensitive to fluctuations in the price of oil. That sensitivity is a key reason the stock has produced a total return of just 5.1% over the last three years. Despite production at or near record levels, crude oil has traded in the high $50s to low $60s, which has pressured earnings. However, as a "forever stock," CVX has rewarded long-term holders: over the last 10 years the stock has delivered a total return of more than 200%. The company has a track record of share buybacks and a safe, growing dividend, which yields 4.12% as of this writing. More telling may be the current annualized payout of $6.84 per share and Chevron's status as a dividend aristocrat with 38 consecutive years of dividend increases. Colgate-Palmolive: A Dividend King Built for Consistency Colgate-Palmolive Co. (NYSE: CL) is a leading name among consumer staples stocks. The company has a deep portfolio of global brands. The bullish case for CL often echoes Peter Lynch's advice to "own what you know" — consumers consistently buy its everyday products, which supports stable long-term demand. That said, recent buyers have needed a strong stomach. This "forever" stock has generated a total return of roughly 15% over the past five years, including the company's dividend, which yields about 2.47%. Over longer horizons, CL has been a reliable compounder of wealth due to its status as a dividend king. The company has increased its dividend for 63 consecutive years. At around 22x earnings, the stock looks reasonably valued compared with its historical multiples and the broader market. Merck: Pipeline-Driven Growth Beyond Keytruda Merck & Co. (NYSE: MRK) took investors on a roller coaster in 2025, falling to a low near $72 — roughly 45% below its June 2024 all-time high. Like the other names here, MRK has been a difficult hold over the last few years, delivering a total return of just over 10% in the past three years. Merck derives just under half of its revenue from its blockbuster drug Keytruda. Keytruda's major patent expiry isn't until 2028, but institutional investors are forward-looking and want clarity on how the company will replace that revenue. The challenge resembles what AbbVie Inc. (NYSE: ABBV) faced with Humira. AbbVie has successfully offset that decline with new products and strategic moves; Merck must demonstrate a similar ability to replenish revenue streams. There is reason for optimism in Merck's pipeline. The company is seeking additional indications for Keytruda and has 16 oncology candidates in late-stage trials. If one or two of those gain approval in the coming years, the revenue shortfall could be substantially mitigated. Each of these companies faces short-term headwinds, but they share durable cash flows, shareholder-friendly capital allocation, and the potential for long-term compounding — the qualities many investors look for when selecting stocks to hold "forever."
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