Shares are traded on the NYSE, AMEX, NASDAQ, or Small Cap Markets
Companies that have paid consecutive dividends for the last seven years and have not cut their dividends
Dividend per share has increased in each of the last six fiscal years
A dividend yield that is higher than its seven-year average yield
Dividend payout ratios are used to measure dividend safety and should be less than 50% for general industries and up to 85% for utilities. Exceeding this ratio may mean that the dividend is not sustainable
