Dividend Kings That Won't Abdicate Their Thrones

The ultimate mark of distinction for dividend-paying stocks is gaining status as a Dividend Aristocrat. Although the standards for access to the Aristocrats list were relaxed this year, a company still needs to demonstrate a long-term commitment to raising payouts to shareholders. With a minimum streak of 20 years of annual increases, the roughly 50 stocks that qualify as Dividend Aristocrats have proven their ability to sustain their dividends through several challenging periods for the overall economy.

In particular, the financial crisis was a tough time for Dividend Aristocrats. Many financial stocks that previously qualified got kicked off the list when they had to cut their dividends for the first time in decades. Surviving the cash crunch of 2008 while enduring the drain on liquidity that dividends cause was a feat that even some of the largest corporations couldn't match.

Source: Motley Fool

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