Rewarding Dividends: 3 Stocks That Pay Out No Matter What

Companies around the world paid a record $606.1 billion in dividends to their shareholders during the second quarter -- 8.2% more than the prior-year period. Nearly 90% of dividend-paying companies have either held their payments steady or raised them over the past year.

This data suggests that right now is a great time for dividends. However, that's not always the case. Downturns and recessions can severely impact the ability of some companies to continue making those payments.

While some companies might at some point be unable to maintain their dividends, Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD), Enbridge (NYSE: ENB), and American States Water (NYSE: AWR) are models of dividend durability. They've continued doling out those payments to investors over the years no matter what. Because of that, they stand out to a few Fool.com contributors as great stocks to buy for those seeking reliable dividend payments.

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Source Fool.com