It doesn't take long in stock investing to realize how volatile the stock market can be. It's a continuous cycle of ups and downs that's been going on since the market was created and will probably continue as long as the stock market as we know it today exists.

You can't predict how stocks will move in the short term, but some companies have shown the ability to consistently produce good results over the long run. For investors looking for stocks they can lean on long term, look no further than these five companies. Investing $100 in each one will expose you to growth opportunities, reliable dividend income, and stability.

Among tech companies, (NASDAQ: MSFT) is in a league of its own when it comes to the amount of ground its products and services cover. Many tech companies have a product (Apple's iPhone) or service (Alphabet's Google search advertising) that makes up most of their revenue, but Microsoft has built out a diversified ecosystem that no big tech company rivals.

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Source Fool.com