Dividends are powerful wealth creators. Since 1930, dividend payments have contributed 41% of the S 500's total return. Meanwhile, dividend-paying companies have historically produced market-beating returns, with the highest returns from companies that steadily increase their payouts.

The wealth-creating ability of dividends makes it easy to see why many investors love dividend stocks. Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD), Clearway Energy (NYSE: CWEN), and American States Water (NYSE: AWR) stand out to a few Fool.com contributors as great options for those who adore dividends. Here's why they believe these dividend stocks can sustain and grow their payouts no matter what's going on in the broader market.

Reuben Gregg Brewer (Enterprise Products Partners): Oil and natural gas prices are inherently volatile, but the underlying demand is resilient throughout the energy cycle. In fact, energy demand tends to be robust regardless of what is happening in the market or even the economy. That's because energy is what drives modern life. Even in recessions, when demand does actually fall, it declines just so much because the world can't function without energy. Enterprise Products Partners is tapped into that demand.

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Source Fool.com