For well over a century, no asset class has come close to rivaling the annualized returns stocks have delivered for investors. With thousands of tradable securities, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs), Wall Street offers investors of all walks and risk tolerances a path to grow their wealth.

But among these seemingly countless pathways to riches is one that's undeniably toward the top of the pack: buying and holding high-quality dividend stocks.

Last year, Hartford Funds released a lengthy report ("The Power of Dividends: Past, Present, and Future") that examined the multiple ways dividend stocks have outperformed non-payers over extended periods.

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Source Fool.com