Investment fads come and go. But strong companies that are capable of producing steady earnings and cash flow over time tend to reward their shareholders with dividends. Dividend-paying companies tend to be less volatile than the overall stock market. They produce high levels of free cash flow, which tends to make its way to shareholders. And they can provide investors with dividend income throughout the year that can be reinvested in the same stock, other stocks, or even spent elsewhere. It’s part of a successful company’s reward for shareholders. While not all dividend companies...