Investing in businesses that can cash in on long-term trends can be a financially rewarding strategy. Companies that fit that description often grow their revenue, profit, share price, and dividend over time.

Financial services giant American Express (NYSE: AXP) arguably fits the above profile and this Dow Jones Industrial Average component could be a smart buy for dividend growth investors.

AmEx's $127 billion market capitalization positions it as the third-largest payments processor by market value, behind Visa and Mastercard. The growth potential of financial services companies is largely buoyed by one megatrend: the global growth of e-commerce. As more people shop online on a more regular basis, the use of credit cards should increase.

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Source Fool.com