These three dividend-paying companies have all raised their payouts every year for at least 40 consecutive years.

U.S. stocks have been hitting fresh highs almost every day since Donald Trump’s election, with small-caps outperforming their large-cap peers. Some stocks and sectors have been particularly strong, including bank stocks.

Dividend stocks remain appealing even to wealthy investors who don't rely on income. AbbVie, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer are highlighted as strong options for dividend-seeking investors. AbbVie offers a forward dividend yield of nearly 3% and a 52-year streak of increases,

Generating reliable passive income requires more than just picking stocks with appealing current yields. The most successful income investors focus on companies that consistently grow their dividend payments year after year.