Dividend aristocrat

A dividend aristocrat commonly refers to a company that is a member of the S&P 500 index and has increased its dividend for at least twenty-five consecutive years. This core definition is consistent with that of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats. However, there are also different definitions. For example, the S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats Index is composed of companies in the S&P MidCap 400 that have increased dividends for fifteen consecutive years.

History
The first dividend aristocrat list was published in 1989, with twenty-six companies listed. The continuous increase in the dividend over twenty-five years is a quality feature, especially for long-term oriented investors.

Dividend Heroes
In some cases, such as City of London Investment Trust, Caledonia Investments, Bankers Investment Trust and Alliance Trust, the dividend has been increased for 57 years.