Kera Van Valen

Commercial airliners have advanced autopilot systems that fly the plane for most of its time off the ground. But most planes still need a pilot for takeoffs, landings, flying through extreme turbulence and for directing and monitoring the autopilot system throughout the flight.

We know that equity exposure is important for long-term growth, but how should investors be positioned for an equity environment that in all likelihood will be more volatile than in the recent past? One approach in uncertain times is to insist on payment up front — in other words, to invest in stocks that provide sustainable and growing dividends. Stocks that pay dividends have, over long periods, outperformed stocks that do not. Returns from stocks that grow dividends tend to be better still.