This is about as safe as a dividend can be.

There are significant advantages to holding shares of companies for a long time as opposed to, say, day trading. The buy-and-hold approach is simpler, doesn't leave investors at the mercy of short-term and often irrational market sentiment, limits fees and taxes, and (especially when dividends are reinvested) puts the magic of compounding to work.

That being said, even among dividend stocks, many aren't worth sticking with for the long term. Let's consider one dividend payer that is: Abbott Laboratories ( ABT -0.32% ) . This healthcare leader has the qualities of a forever stock. Let me explain.

Abbott's business might bend, but it won't break

Most companies don't stay in business for decades. Sometimes, even entire industries become

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