Healthcare stocks, particularly pharmaceutical stocks with solid dividends, make great long-term investments.

In general, the need for healthcare products and services is stable, even during economic downturns. When high interest rates in early 2022 caused several stocks to fall, healthcare was one of the few sectors that didn't see a big drop. The same can be said for stable dividend stocks because companies that deliver a solid dividend generally have solid cash reserves, giving them an edge in bear markets. Investors also tend to be more loyal to dividend stocks, knowing that even if the share price drops, they will, in all probability, receive a quarterly dividend. Investing in solid dividend paying companies in the healthcare business means investors have double protection in bear markets or recessions.

Viatris (NASDAQ: VTRS), Pfizer (NYSE: PFE), and GSK (NYSE: GSK) all have dividends with a yield of 4% or more. They also have payout ratios below 32%, meaning the dividends are likely safe and increases should continue.

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Source Fool.com