The dividend component was responsible for 44% of the total return of the last 80 years.

A steady reliable source of dividends will put a floor on the price of many stocks.    According to Standard & Poor’s, the dividend component was responsible for 44% of the total return of the last 80 years of the index.   The orange curve in the chart above shows the results of having all dividends reinvested while the blue line reflects the investment without dividends and just stock appreciation.