This Dividend Aristocrat Just Crushed Earnings Estimates in Q3. Is It a Buy?

Income-focused investors should always be on the lookout for high-quality dividend stocks to add to their diversified portfolio. What is one of the most surefire ways to find stocks that are reliable dividend growers?

The answer is to look to the stocks that have been consistently growing their dividend for decades. These stocks can be found on the list of Dividend Aristocrats, which are components of the S&P 500 that have raised their dividends for at least 25 years straight.

One of those stocks is the supplemental insurer Aflac (NYSE: AFL), which announced a hike in its dividend earlier this month. Let's look at Aflac's fundamentals and valuation to determine whether the stock is a buy or one that dividend investors should simply watch from the sidelines for the time being.

Source Fool.com