Dividend stocks that grow their payouts over the years can give investors an extra incentive to hold those investments for the long haul. But investors also need to be careful not to assume that just because a company has been raising its payouts that those patterns will continue indefinitely.

A couple of stocks that have been rapidly increasing their payouts in recent years are Baxter International (NYSE: BAX) and Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST). While neither of them is a Dividend Aristocrat, it's hard to ignore how fast their dividend payments have been growing of late.

Can these stocks continue making aggressive rate hikes, and are these investments worth adding to your portfolio today?

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Source Fool.com