Summary:

In the quest for dividend supremacy it's not simply a climb to the top of the mountain – or the highest-paying divided yield. Instead, the standard for dividend success is based more on the power of repeatability.

It's the companies that have been able to routinely grow an earnings stream that can be relied upon over a series of years, not just “one hit wonders.” More so, these great companies can take a financial punch in one year and come back swinging the next. The legendary golfer, Gary Player, said it best:

Greatness isn't just talent. It's talent applied consistently.

Ventas is a Great REIT That Just Raised Its Dividend

Yesterday Ventas, Inc. (NYSE:VTR) declared its quarterly common dividend of $.79 per share, a 9% increase from the prior dividend of $.725 per share. The dividend is payable in cash on December 31, 2014 to stockholders of record on December 22, 2014.

The pattern of predictability for Ventas is evident by the more recent record that includes annual increases for five years in a row.
 

That pattern of consistency is also the power behind the Ventas model, a diversified healthcare REIT that has grown into a massive $302 billion (based on EV) S&P 500 company comprised of 1,468 properties (Q3-14) and over $1.8 billion in Net Operating income (or NOI). Compared with the other Healthcare REITs, Ventas' 2014 dividend growth of 9% is solid.

Also, as evidenced below, Ventas has also maintained a steady three-year dividend growth record – averaging 8.9% over the last three years: