The best-performing stocks over the past half-century shared one thing in common: They paid a growing dividend. dividend growers in the S 500 generated an average annual total return of 10.2% over the last 50 years, according to data from Ned Davis Research and Hartford Funds. That outperformed companies with static dividends (6.6%) and obliterated the returns of non-dividend payers (-0.6%).

We've seen similar outperformance in shares of Enbridge (NYSE: ENB) over the years. The Canadian energy infrastructure giant has increased its payout for 28 straight years. Unsurprisingly, it has delivered market-crushing total returns (11.4% annually since 2008 versus 8.9% for the S 500). With more dividend growth likely, investing $1,000 or so in Enbridge would be a smart move right now.

Enbridge is a dividend-paying juggernaut. The company currently offers a dividend yield of over 7%, significantly higher than the broader market (the S 500's dividend yield is currently around 1.6%). At that rate, Enbridge could turn every $1,000 invested in its shares into about $70 of annual dividend income. That compares to only $16 of annual dividend income from a similar investment in an S&P 500 index fund.

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Source Fool.com