Seeking Alpha Seeking Alpha Portfolio App for iPad  Companies
generating significant cash flow sure have held up well the last
couple years. While the S&P 500 and its tracking exchange traded
fund, (SPY) have rallied over 20% since the market's 2011 summer
bottom, and some stocks, such as Apple (AAPL), are up over 30%,
stocks that have consistently raise the company's dividend have
outperformed most of the broader indexes.  In addition to
outperforming the broader indexes, most dividend stocks also
yield around double what the average company in the S&P 500 pays
out in dividends as well.  Obviously, dividend investing has
been successful in part because investors want companies with
stabile business models that can offer an inflation adjusted
return.  Many leading dividend stocks, such as Altria (MO) and
McDonald's (MCD), have also done well because the company's
significant free cash flow has given management flexibility to
invest and grow the company's businesses while also increasing
the dividend even in t