A new white paper released by investment manager Cohen & Steers on Monday maintains that dividend oriented companies are "strongly positioned to continue raising pay-outs and deliver solid returns." The report also says these companies are “trading at attractive prices and offer great upside potential.” The whitepaper echoes a piece written by Jeremy Siegel, a Wharton professor and frequent industry lecturer, in The Wall Street Journal also on Monday, in which Siegel says dividend-paying stocks, backed by record amounts of cash, are a wise defensive move in light of the current environment.

In the Cohen & Steers report, entitled "Return of the Dividend Growers," Rick Helm, senior vice president and portfolio manager, points out numerous reasons for investors to seek out dividend paying stocks, including: 1. Since 1926, dividends have contributed more than 40% of the U.S. market's total return, 2. Dividend payers outperform nonpayers and do so with less volatility and 3. Dividends have been raised; net payments rose by a record $25.5 billion in the first half of the year.

Source: Advisorone

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