Academic evidence shows that dividend stocks outperform. But companies that have raised their dividends do especially well -- and companies that are about to raise their dividends do better still.

Find these the hard way, by sweating through financial statements and guessing who'll raise next, or take Motley Fool Income Investor advisor James Early's suggestion: Simply find consistent raisers and latch on. Your options, Fool, are many: Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG), 3M (NYSE: MMM), and Cincinnati Financial (Nasdaq: CINF) have raised payouts for 50 years or more. A newer -- but still consistent -- company is Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE: MMP).

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Motley Fool Income Investor advisor James Early owns no shares of any companies mentioned. 3M is a Motley Fool Inside Value selection. Magellan Midstream Partners and Procter & Gamble are Income Investor selections. The Fool owns shares of and has written covered calls on Procter & Gamble. True to its name, The Motley Fool is made up of a motley assortment of writers and analysts, each with a unique perspective; sometimes we agree, sometimes we disagree, but we all believe in the power of learning from each other through our Foolish community. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.