Thanks to its share price steadily marching higher and paying a dividend that has risen annually for 24 consecutive years, FactSet Research Systems (NYSE: FDS) has delivered total returns of around 12,500% since its 1996 initial public offering. 

While you can't simply point to past results and say, "This stock's a lock to continue this outperformance for decades to come," finding certain traits among successful businesses can tilt the odds of picking a winning investment in your favor. For example, FactSet is home to the well-funded dividend mentioned earlier, a history of buying back its shares, and a high return on invested capital (ROIC) -- three indicators with a track record of delivering market-crushing returns.

Pair these promising qualities with the fact that FactSet has grown its sales for 43 consecutive years, and the company looks like a true no-brainer to buy and hold forever.

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Source Fool.com