With the broader indices hovering around their 52-week lows, investors are likely wondering when the market will stop going down. And although no one knows when the sell-off will end, it can be comforting to know that bear markets tend to be some of the best buying opportunities for patient investors.

One of the simplest ways to outlast a bear market is to do nothing. But that's easier said than done. However, dividend stocks incentivize patience by providing passive income without the need to sell stock. Cummins (NYSE: CMI), Allegion PLC (NYSE: ALLE), and Watsco (NYSE: WSO) stand out as three excellent companies that also pay growing dividends.

Investing in equal parts of each stock produces a dividend yield of 2.8% -- which isn't a particularly high yield. However, each of these companies more than makes up for a lower yield with consistency. Here's what makes each company a good buy now.

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Source Fool.com