PATIENT APPROACH: The Franklin Rising Dividends Fund exemplifies patient investing. Stocks selected for its portfolio must have increased dividend payments eight of the past 10 years. On average, portfolio stocks have increased dividends 29 consecutive years.

WINNING PICK: Shares of medical device maker Becton Dickinson have been in the fund's portfolio continuously since 1996. Since then, Becton Dickinson's annual dividend has increased to $1.80 a share from 23 cents, and the shares have nearly quadrupled in price.

STRONG RESULTS: A $10,000 investment at the fund's inception in 1987 would have grown to $83,797 through June of this year.