Growth stocks are known to stand out in bull markets, while stocks that are considered safer -- like a pharma company promising steady earnings -- generally excel in more difficult markets. It's a great idea to include a bit of both in your portfolio to support performance through any market environment. And there's one other extremely important element that could help your investments grow no matter what the market is doing: dividend stocks.

These players offer you payments every year regardless of their own market performance or the stock market environment. You can either keep these payments and enjoy the passive income or reinvest the dividends to further grow your position in a particular stock.

Now, the big question is: How should you choose a winning dividend player for your portfolio? It's important to consider a company's dividend track record, financial ability to continue payments, and general earnings prospects. Let's check out three dividend giants that could grow your wealth no matter what the market is doing.

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Source Fool.com