Hendershot Investments

Steady dividend growth can provide powerful returns to long-term investors. While many weak businesses collapsed during the financial meltdown of 2007-2009, a number of companies managed to deliver dividend increases during the past three months, and some even had dividends compound strongly over the last five years. These companies all featured a combination of strong cash flows and sturdy balance sheets. A select group of firms with strong competitive advantages have managed to increase their dividends every year for the past 50 years.