3 Dividend Aristocrats to Buy and Hold Forever

The Dividend Aristocrats -- stocks that have increased their dividends each year for at least 25 consecutive years -- are an elite group, especially right now. In recent years, the Great Recession and the oil price downturn of 2014-2017 forced some then-Aristocrats -- and a few would-be ones -- to slash their dividends, taking them off the list for at least another quarter-century. 

However, that means that the companies that remain on the list have already proven their commitment to shareholders by upping their dividend during some very tough times. But beyond their proven reliability, here's why ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), and Illinois Tool Works (NYSE: ITW) are the kinds of top dividend stocks you can buy and hold forever...or at least for a long time horizon.

Buying top dividend stocks can help your portfolio outperform over the long term. Image source: Getty Images.

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Source Fool.com