We saw big dividend news from two behemoth companies this week. First, we saw automaker Ford (NYSE:F) announce that it has approved a plan to reinstate its quarterly dividend payout following a five-year hiatus. The new dividend of 5 cents a share will be paid on March 1 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 31. Ford’s dividend yield will be 1.8% based on the closing price on Thursday.

Then on Friday, General Electric (NYSE:GE) increased its quarterly dividend by 2 cents to 17 cents a share. GE’s board said the new dividend is payable Jan. 25 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 27.

Of course, Ford and GE aren’t the only big companies making dividend news. In fact, this week we saw a bevy of beefed-up payouts to shareholders from some of the largest capitalization companies in the market. Here are 15 more companies increasing dividends this week.

Investment management firm Ameriprise Financial (NYSE:AMP) boosted its return to shareholders, increasing its quarterly dividend by 22% to 28 cents a share. The new payout will be made on Feb. 24 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 10. The new dividend yield, based on its closing price Thursday of $48.21, is 2.32%. The company has increased its dividend by 56% since the second quarter of 2011, and raised its dividend five times since becoming a public company in 2005.

Insurance and reinsurance provider Axis Capital (NYSE:AXS) moved to assure shareholders of its fiscal fitness, raising its quarterly dividend 4% to 24 cents a share. The new dividend is payable on Jan. 17 to the shareholders of record as of Dec. 30. The new dividend yield, based on the Thursday closing price of $30.94, is 2.97%.

Petroleum and natural gas production firm Baytex Energy Trust (NYSE:BTE) pumped out a new monthly divided of 22 cents a share, a 10% increase over its current dividend. The new payout will be made on Jan. 17 to shareholders of record on Dec. 30. The new dividend yield, based on Thursday closing price of $55.39, is 4.77%. The company said the dividend increase is attributable to the strength of its underlying business, and the current oil price environment.

Pharmaceutical giant Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) increased the dosage on it dividend, boosting its payout by 3% to 34 cents a share. The new dividend will be dealt out on Feb. 1 to shareholders of record on Jan. 6. The new dividend yield, based on the Thursday closing price of $33.12, is 4.11%. The last time the drug giant increased its dividend was in the first quarter of 2011.

C.H. Robinson Worldwide (NASDAQ:CHRW) has raised its quarterly dividend 13.4% to 33 cents a share. The freight and logistics firm will distribute the new payout on Jan. 3 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 20. The new dividend yield, based on the Thursday closing price of $67.25, is 1.96%.

Horseracing company Churchhill Downs (NASDAQ:CHDN) has placed a winning bet with shareholders, speeding up its annual dividend by 20% to 60 cents a share. The new dividend crosses the finish line Jan. 23, provided shareholders are in the saddle by Dec. 30. The new dividend yield, based on the Dec. 5 closing price of $50.19, is 1.20%.

Oil and natural gas transportation and distribution company Enbridge (NYSE:ENB) has raised its quarterly dividend 15% to 28.25 cents a share. The new dividend is payable March 1 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 15. The new dividend yield, based on its Thursday closing price of $35.44, is 3.19%.

Multifamily property REIT Equity Residential (NYSE:EQR) has moved in a new dividend to shareholders of 56.75 cents a share, a 7.5% increase over the company’s previous annualized dividend. The new payout will be made on Jan. 13 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 19. The new dividend yield, based on the Thursday closing price of $54.41, is 2.9%.

Sales, underwriting and policy issuance service provider Erie Indemnity (NASDAQ:ERIE) increased its quarterly dividend 7.3% to 55.25 cents a share. The new dividend will be paid Jan. 20 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 5. The new dividend yield, based on the Thursday closing price of $75.67, is 2.92%.

Mining giant Goldcorp (NYSE:GG) lifted its monthly dividend 32% to 4.5 cents a share. The new monthly payout will be made to shareholders of record as of Dec. 16. The new dividend yield, based on the Thursday closing price of $51.03, is 1.06%. The move is the third payout increase in the company’s dividend in the last 13 months.

Tax preparation firm H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) has revised its return to shareholders, boosting its quarterly dividend refund 33% to 20 cents a share. The new dividend is payable Jan. 5 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 22. The new dividend yield, based on the Thursday closing price of $15.57, is 5.14%.

Roper Industries (NYSE:ROP) provides engineered products and solutions for global niche markets, including water, energy and transportation. This week, it engineered a new 25% dividend increase to shareholders. The revamped 13.85 cents-a-share payout will be made on Jan. 27 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 6. The new dividend yield, based on the Thursday closing price of $84.22, is .65%. The move marks the 19th consecutive year of increases in the company’s dividend.

New York City’s largest office landlord, SL Green Realty (NYSE:SLG), raised the rent it pays shareholders to 25 cents a share from 10 cents. The new dividend is payable on Jan. 13 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 2. The new dividend yield, based on the Thursday closing price of $67.53, is 1.48%.

Medical device maker Stryker (NYSE:SYK) has raised its quarterly dividend payout by 18% to 21.25 cents a share. The enhanced payment will be made on Jan. 31 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 29. The new dividend yield, based on the Thursday closing price of $48.27, is 1.76%. The company also approved the repurchase of an additional $500 million of its stock, which it said will be repurchased from time to time in the open market, or in privately negotiated deals. So far this year, Stryker has paid about $280 million of dividends and has repurchased shares worth about $625 million.

Paint manufacturer Valspar (NYSE:VAL) brushed on a shiny new coat of dividends to its shareholders, brightening the fiscal color of its payout 11.1% to 20 cents a share. The new dividend will be paid Jan. 13 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 3. The new dividend yield, based on the Thursday closing price of $36.40, is 2.20%.

As of this writing, Jim Woods did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned stocks. For more payout winners, see previous weeks’ lists of Companies Increasing Dividends.