Stocks like Visa are often referred to as dividend growth stocks because they combine earnings growth with market-beating historical returns and regularly increase their dividends. Buying and holding a quality dividend growth stock can be a recipe for impressive long-term gains and steady passive income.

U.S. stocks rose after the Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark interest rates by 50 basis points to a range of 4.75% to 5%. That was the first rate cut in over four years that marked the beginning of a monetary-easing cycle in the world's largest economy.