Author: Rich Duprey, Money Morning

Despite the S&P 500 at record levels, maintaining a presence in the market allows for capturing the benefits of compounding in this prolonged bull cycle.

Its shares mirror gold’s performance closely, delivering returns without the hassles of physical ownership.

An essential building block for patient, buy-and-hold portfolios, these names have a long record of raising their payouts, reflecting strong confidence in their future earnings.

With a growing backlog and upside potential from near-term contracts and long-term infrastructure roles, it appears well-positioned for growth.

Surging approximately 180% year-to-date, its momentum appears poised to extend into 2026.