I stumbled upon some data a few years back that has altered my investment philosophy. According to data by Ned Davis Research and Hartford Funds, dividend growers and initiators have delivered superior total returns over the last half century (10.2% annualized). They have crushed the returns of the average stock in the S 500 (7.7% annual return for an equal-weighted S 500 index).

This data has led me to increasingly focus on investing in companies that can grow their dividends. I recently bought three dividend growth stocks: (NYSE: CVX), EQT (NYSE: EQT), and Vici Properties (NYSE: VICI). Here's why I bought shares.

Chevron is dividend growth royalty. The oil giant delivered its 36th straight year of dividend increases in 2023. It has grown its payout at a peer-leading 6% annual rate over the last five years, a pace it has maintained for the past 15 years.

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Source Fool.com