As investors, we all love our dividends. But what's even better? Dividends that grow, and grow consistently over the long term.
And while dividend investors should of course pay attention to the current yield on a stock to assess its growth potential, investors should look at the current payout ratio from retained earnings, the ability of a business to increase its earnings per share over time, and management's capital allocation policies. All of these factors will determine the overall health of the business and, by default, the health of the dividend.
If you're looking for solid dividend stocks to buy and hold for the long term, here are five in five different industries that could double their dividends in the years ahead.