Investors who strive for a specific investment return should love dividends because they are concrete returns you can't lose once paid. For example, suppose you want to earn 10% on a stock you own for a year. If that stock pays a dividend yielding 5%, you're already halfway to your goal!

You can rest easier knowing you have something to show for your investment and aren't entirely at the mercy of Wall Street's (often irrational) volatility.

Realty Income (NYSE: O) is a well-known dividend stock. It's famous for paying a rare monthly dividend and continually increasing the amount it pays. The company has raised its dividend for 31 consecutive years and counting.

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Source Fool.com