Wall Street offers investors a multitude of pathways to grow their wealth. Among these countless strategies, few have delivered more robust long-term returns than buying and holding dividend stocks. Last year, researchers at Hartford Funds released a lengthy report that examined the power and potential that dividend stocks bring to the table for long-term-minded investors. In particular, a collaboration with Ned Davis Research revealed a stark disparity in average annual returns between non-payers and companies that regularly pay a dividend.