Buy-and-hold investing isn't just about sitting around and collecting dividends.

That's not to cast any aspersions on dividends. Far from it. Regular and rising payouts are often the key to beating the market over long periods of time. Just have a look at the best stocks in Standard & Poor's 500-stock index over the past half-century.

But when we're looking at shorter time frames, such as, say, a single decade, strong and sustainable earnings growth is a critical factor too. Companies with key advantages in growing industries - or that have a long history of adapting to changing times - have a better chance of outperformance in the decade ahead.

It also doesn't hurt to find yourself in rapidly evolving sectors that continually spawn new ways to drive revenue growth. Think: technology or finance or health care.

That said, boring can be beautiful too.

The bottom line is that big companies with great brands, strong balance sheets and some balance of outsize earnings or dividends will stand the test of time every time. The following 11 stocks have what it takes to be great bets for the next decade and beyond.

Adobe Systems

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Adobe Systems (ADBE, $243.85) has always had little competition in its niche of creating software for designers and other creative types. Indeed, the company's Creative Suite - which includes the likes of Photoshop, Premiere Pro for video editing and Dreamweaver for website design, among others - really has no peer.

The company took a massive step a few years ago