How do you know when a former favorite dividend stock is no longer one you should buy, or hold? Some would say it's time to look away as soon as the profits the company uses to make dividend payments begin shrinking.

(NYSE: ABBV) shares offer an above-average dividend yield of 4% at recent prices, but some cautious investors were turned off by earnings that fell by 58% to $2.3 billion in the first half of the year.

In January, Humira, AbbVie's top-selling drug, lost patent-protected market exclusivity in the United States. But the good news for investors is that this is a big company with lots of moving pieces. Here's a look at the pieces that are moving in the right direction. Let's see if they can offset Humira's losses and help AbbVie continue a legendary streak of dividend raises.

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Source Fool.com