Commentary: The Secret's Out

Dividends have been around for a long time. Some companies raise them like clockwork, year in and year out. But to judge by the way they've been in the spotlight lately, you'd think they were the latest invention of Wall Street's derivatives operations, especially the fact that they can actually grow over time. Of course, we've been committed to getting the word out for years, and that extends to company-sponsored DRIPs, or Direct Investment Plans. With any luck, DRIPs will get their due as soon as mainstream advisors discover that those growing dividends can actually be reinvested and that small investors can acquire stock with small, regular investments. Let's just hope that they don't figure out a way to ruin them!

--By David Fish, Executive Editor