People often talk about profit sharing as a way for workers and employees to gain a stake in the success of American businesses.

But there's been a way for the public to share in corporate success for more than a century: A dividend.

Companies like General Mills, Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola, have been paying dividends every year, uninterrupted, since the 1890s, according to S&P Global's Howard Silverblatt.

Since 1926, about 40% of total returns have come from dividends.

But things have slowed down in recent years.

Despite 2018 being a record year for dividend payouts by dollar amount, yields are historically low. Part of that is an increase in buybacks, but there are other factors too.

Watch the video above to learn more about the history of dividend investing, where it stands today, and why investors looking steady income might want to pay more attention to dividends.