It was the summer of 1957.

As the Cold War was heating up, the United States raced to develop our nation’s first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Though the initial test flight for the ICBM known as SM-65 Atlas lasted only seconds before being destroyed, it was the beginning of a progressive period for the development of U.S. astronautics.

Fast forward to present day. Education and technology drove innovation in the nearly 60 years since the first ICBM test, through the Cold War and into today.

Companies developed, and continue to develop, new products that altered the way people live their daily lives. Many firms find themselves in a never-ending rat race, tweaking their product’s design and functions to keep pace with the consumer’s ever-changing trends and lifestyles.

But then there are the products that have endured — the ones that are exactly the same today as they were on day one, unchanged since creation.

Off the top of my head, very few come to mind.

#-ad_banner-#There is one company, however, whose main product hasn’t changed at all since the 1950s. And what’s more impressive — this timeless company’s main product can be found in 8 out of 10 U.S. households.

It’s these types of industry dominating qualities — market saturation and strong brand recognition — that mark a truly successful business.

In many shareholder letters, Warren Buffett talks about how his favorite investments must have what he calls an “economic moat.”

“A truly great business must have an enduring ‘moat’ that protects excellent returns on invested capital. The dynamics of capitalism guarantee that competitors will repeatedly assault any business ‘castle’ that is earning high returns. Therefore a formidable barrier … is essential for sustained success.”

Now, a company must have an enduring moat to sell the same product for more than 60 years and still have a stranglehold on the market.

And the company I’m talking about makes a product that not only coated the SM-65 Atlas missile back in 1957 to protect against rust and corrosion, but is still used by a majority of Americans today on their cars, squeaky door hinges and countless other odd jobs.

I’m talking about WD-40 Co. (Nasdaq: WDFC).

This may come as a surprise to you, but WD-40 has transformed itself over the years into a billion-dollar-plus company. For a fairly simple company, WD-40 has posted some pretty impressive revenue growth over the last 10 years. Just look at their main segment’s (multi-purpose maintenance) revenue growth.

Source: WDFC Investor presentation

Sales of WD-40 have doubled over the last decade, thanks in large part to growth in international markets, and management plans to consistently post 6%-to-8% annual growth over the long-term. It’s not a jaw dropping number, but this growth has been proven over the years, making the stock an attractive potential addition to any long-term portfolio.

It’s also an extremely shareholder-friendly company. 

What do I mean by “shareholder-friendly?”

Much of the excess cash the company earns goes directly into shareholders’ pockets in the form of consistent dividends and share buybacks.

Over the last five fiscal years alone, WD-40 bought back $155 million of stock (almost 10% of its shares outstanding) and paid out more than $92 million in cash dividends.

That’s almost $250 million worth of cash returned to shareholders.

The company has rewarded investors across the board and will likely continue doing so. Even without accounting for the $250 million in dividends and buybacks, holding the stock would have been a reward in itself.

WD-40 has almost doubled the S&P 500’s performance over the last five years — not a huge surprise considering the buybacks, dividends and consistent revenue growth.

Even now, WD-40 is sitting on more than $100 million in cash and recently authorized another $90 million in share repurchases.

Beyond taking care of shareholders, WD-40 boasts a strong “economic moat,” which I mentioned earlier.

Just think about it…

That blue and yellow WD-40 can has to be one of the most recognizable products in the world. Since the 1950s, WD-40 has built a reputation and a loyal following that can’t be bought or marketed — another pillar of an amazing business.

This competitive advantage protects from any others trying to attack the company’s lock-tight grip on market share and makes it a spectacular long-term holding for any investor.

Risks To Consider: Since it’s a stock with a wide moat, it does have a higher earnings multiple than other related stocks. Any potential sell-off in the overall equity markets could beat up WD-40‘s valuation.

Action To Take –> Between consistent revenue growth, an everlasting brand name, and the huge cash returns to shareholders, I want to buy WD-40. This stock has many of the same traits my colleague Dave Forest looks for with “Forever Stocks” — stocks you can buy and own forever. In fact, in Dave’s most recent report, “The 10 Best Stocks To Hold Forever,” he outlines 10 impressive companies that sport the same qualities as WD-40. From a little-known investment crushing the market 6-to-1 to the world’s most dominant Internet company, these are firms you can buy now and hold for the rest of your life. To watch Dave’s live presentation at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, simply​ click here.