Dividend investors are always on the lookout for stocks that have a history of boosting their payouts regardless of economic conditions. The most stable and consistent of these are called Dividend Aristocrats -- members of the S&P 500 that have increased the amount they pay out for at least 25 consecutive years.
But it's not just S&P 500 constituents that have proven their reliability. One stock outside the index that has lifted its dividend for 32 consecutive years is National Retail Properties (NYSE: NNN).
Two of the major factors that have made National Retail Properties' dividend increase streak possible are the company's focus on single-tenant triple-net-lease retail properties and its diversification from both a geographic and an industry standpoint. Let's dig into both and see why National Retail Properties is a top dividend stock.
Source Fool.com