What are some of the best aristocrat dividend stocks to buy?

One perfect example of the best aristocrat dividend stocks to buy is Minnesota-based industrial and medical products firm 3M Company (NYSE: MMM).

What are the requirements to be a dividend aristocrat?

To achieve the status of dividend aristocrat a company must meet the following criteria: They must have at least 25 consecutive years of dividend increases They must meet certain market cap and liquidity requirements. Currently, a company must have a float-adjusted market cap of at least $3 billion (meaning these are large-cap companies).

What is the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index?

The dividend aristocrat index is a group of blue-chip S&P 500 companies with a documented history of increasing dividends for at least 25 consecutive years. Membership to this club is exclusive, but can be achieved by any company that meets the following requirements: They must meet certain market cap and liquidity requirements.