Verizon offers a dividend yield of more than 6% these days. The telecom giant recently delivered its 18th straight year of dividend growth. That's the longest current streak in the U.S. telecom sector.

Bad news has brought Hershey stock down, but that's an opportunity for long-term investors willing to go against the grain.

Had an investor bought $100 worth of Costco shares at the company's initial public offering (IPO) in 1985 and held until today, they would now have over $150,000. Quickly growing to become the world's third-largest retailer, Costco is home to 876 warehouses and roughly 134 million cardholding members.

Investing in growth stocks can be beneficial in the long run, but it also carries significant risks. Growth stocks are shares of companies that are still evolving. The underlying business may or may not be successful in the long term.