The term “dividend aristocrat” was invented as a convenient label for companies that have raised their dividends each and every year over the past 25 years. It even has its own ETF due to retail demand (NOBL). They are also known as “blue chips” and are mostly large cap – the smallest has a market cap of $7 billion (LEG); largest has a market cap of $350+ billion (JNJ) – and naturally have outperformed the broader market over time. As might be imagined, consumer staples take up a large portion of the index (25%), while the volatile nature of real estate, energy, and information technology take up only ~8% of the index combined. Investors look favorably upon these companies, particularly those that want stock exposure but without larger amounts of risk. What these companies lack in growth is made up in terms of stability, with continued earnings growth and durable business prospects. There are currently 51 members on the list. Businesses can join as they fulfill the "25-year" stipulation and fall out if they fail to raise their dividend on a yearly basis. They can be found below (click to enlarge):