3 Stocks to Build Your Portfolio Around

It hasn't been the happiest of years for investors in paint and coatings company PPG Industries (NYSE: PPG), life sciences and diagnostics company Danaher (NYSE: DHR), and sustainable water company Xylem (NYSE: XYL), but that shouldn't detract investors from looking at them as potential core holdings for a long-term portfolio. Let's take a look at what could potentially make them attractive.

One of the first things you notice when looking at a list of dividend aristocrats -- companies that have raised their dividends for 25 or more consecutive years -- is that two largest paint and coatings companies, Sherwin-Williams (NYSE: SHW) and PPG are on it. The simple reason for this is that they operate in a highly profitable and growing industry with high barriers to entry.

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Source Fool.com