AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) are two of the world's biggest pharmaceutical companies, and the similarities don't end there. The case for AbbVie as a growth stock can't avoid two issues: the decline of Humira, and the stagnation of its oncology portfolio.
While there's no ironclad method for picking perfectly safe stocks, thankfully there are a few dividend-paying companies that are a bit less risky than average -- as a result of their history of effective competition and their management's skill at executing their business models. Both of the stocks I'll review in a moment are likely to keep growing and paying their shareholders for a very long time, and that means you aren't likely to regret making a purchase. When it comes to appealing biopharma dividend stocks that investors can depend on, AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) is near the top of the list.
The Schwab U.S. Dividend ETF (NYSEMKT: SCHD) just went through its annual reconstitution, meaning the top positions look different than they did just a few weeks prior. AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) is now the fund's largest weighted position.