24 Companies Increasing Dividends

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Companies Increasing DividendsWe witnessed one of the biggest weeks ever in terms of the number of marquee-name companies increasing dividends. This week’s list of payout performers was as diverse as it has been in recent memory. The names also represent some of the biggest, most respected and most profitable companies operating today.

24 companies made it onto our Companies Increasing Dividends list this week:

Diversified industrial and personal products maker 3M (NYSE:MMM) manufactured a 7% increase in its quarterly payout to 59 cents per share. The new dividend is payable on March 12 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 17. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 7 closing price of $87.89, is 2.69%.

Video game publisher Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI) made a Call of Duty to shareholders, blasting its dividend higher by 9% to 18 cents per share. The new dividend is payable May 16 to shareholders of record as of March 21. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 9 closing price of $12.66 (the day the company announced the dividend), is 1.42%. Activision’s board also authorized a stock repurchase program for up to $1 billion of shares effective April 1.

Oil and gas exploration and production giant Apache (NYSE:APA) pumped out a 13% increase in its quarterly payout to 17 cents per share. The new payout will be made on May 22 to shareholders of record on April 23. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 9 closing price of $106.68, is 0.64%.

Oil behemoth BP plc (NYSE:BP) pumped a 14% higher payout to shareholders, upping its quarterly dividend to 8 cents per share. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 8 closing price of $46.97, is 4.09%. The hike in the quarterly dividend is the first increase since BP resumed paying dividends a year ago.

The maker of Arm & Hammer baking soda, Church & Dwight (NYSE:CHD), freshened its payout to shareholders, raising its quarterly dividend 41% to 24 cents. The new dividend is payable March 1 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 21. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 7 closing price of $47.63, is 2.02%.

Computer networking stalwart Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) connected shareholders with a 33% increase in its quarterly payout to 8 cents per share. The new payout will be made on April 25 to shareholders of record as of April 5. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 8 closing price of $20.43, is 1.57%.

Beverage bottling firm Coca-Cola Enterprises (NYSE:CCE) popped the top on its payout to shareholders, pouring a 23% increase in its quarterly dividend to 16 cents per share. The new dividend is payable March 22 to shareholders of record as of March 9. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 7 closing price of $27.24, is 2.35%.

Soft drink maker Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (NYSE:DPS) filled shareholders’ glasses just a little higher, upping its quarterly dividend 6.3% to 34 cents per share. The new payout will be made on April 6 to shareholders of record as of March 19. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 8 closing price of $38.18, is 3.56%.

Commercial data and information provider Dun & Bradstreet (NYSE:DNB) provided a 5.5% increase to shareholders, upping its quarterly dividend to 38 cents per share. The new dividend is payable March 14 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 28. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 6 closing price of $84.97, is 1.79%.

Precious metals mining firm Freeport McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) dug up a 25% increase in its quarterly payout. The company said the new dividend of 31.25 cents per share will be paid sometime in May. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 7 closing price of $45.75, is 2.73%.

Iconic American motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG) twisted the throttle on its quarterly dividend, boosting its fiscal RPMs to shareholders by 24% to 15.5 cents per share. The new dividend is payable March 2 to riders in the seat by Feb. 21. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 7 closing price of $45.91, is 1.35%.

Aerospace defense and platform company L-3 Communications Holdings (NYSE:LLL) boosted its quarterly payout to shareholders by 11% to 50 cents per share. The new payout will be made on March 15 to shareholders of record as of March 1. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 7 closing price of $70.25, is 2.85%.

Automotive seating and electrical components maker Lear Corporation (NYSE:LEA) adjusted the seat on its quarterly payout, increasing its dividend to shareholders by 12% to 14 cents per share. The new dividend is payable on March 21 to shareholders of record as of March 2. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 9 closing price of $45.15, is 1.24%.

Cigarette manufacturer Lorillard (NYSE:LO) smoked up a 19% increase in its quarterly payout to $1.55 per share. The new dividend is payable on March 9 to shareholders of record as of March 1. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 9 closing price of $124.37, is 4.99%.

Credit card giant MasterCard (NYSE:MA) swiped a 100% dividend increase into shareholders’ accounts, raising its quarterly payout to 30 cents per share. The new dividend is payable May 9 to shareholders of record as of April 9. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 7 closing price of $392.91, is 0.31%.

Oil producer Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY) unearthed a 17% increase in its quarterly dividend to 54 cents per share. The new dividend will be paid April 15 to shareholders of record as of March 9. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 9 closing price of $104.23, is 2.07%.

Advertising and media firm Omnicom Group (NYSE:OMC) produced a slick new ad for shareholders’ portfolios, bumping up its dividend by 20% to 30 cents per share. The new dividend will be paid on April 2 to shareholders of record as of March 5. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 9 closing price of $47.91, is 2.5%.

Corporate staffing giant Robert Half International (NYSE:RHI) has increased the compensation it pays to shareholders by a penny to 15 cents per share. The new dividend will be paid on March 15 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 24. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 8 closing price of $29.55, is 2.03%.

The largest real estate company in the U.S., Simon Property Group (NYSE:SPG), decorated shareholders’ homes with a 5.6% increase in its quarterly dividend to 95 cents per share. The new dividend is payable on Feb. 29 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 15. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 3 closing price of $138.73, is 2.74%.

Amusement park operator Six Flags Entertainment (NYSE:SIX) took shareholders on a thrill ride, lifting its quarterly payout tenfold to 60 cents per share. The new payout will be issued March 12 to shareholders of record as of March 1. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 8 closing price of $43.89, is 5.47%.

Diversified media titan Time Warner (NYSE:TWX) broadcast an 11% increase in its quarterly dividend to 26 cents a share. The newly programmed dividend will be paid on March 15 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 29. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 8 closing price of $38.11, is 2.73%.

Package transport giant United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) delivered a welcome new dividend to shareholders, increasing its payout by 9.6% to 57 cents per share. The new dividend is payable March 7 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 21. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 9 closing price of $76.57, is 2.98%.

Money transfer company Western Union (NYSE:WU) sent a wire to shareholders announcing a 25% increase in its quarterly payout to 10 cents per share. The new dividend will be paid on March 30 to shareholders of record as of March 16. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 7 closing price of $19.70, is 2.03%.

Hotel chain Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE:WYN) booked a 53% increase in its quarterly shareholder accommodations to 23 cents per share. The company said the new dividend will be paid in the first quarter of 2012. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 8 closing price of $43.42, is 2.12%.

As of this writing, Jim Woods did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned stocks. Check out other companies increasing dividends in past weeks here.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2012/02/24-companies-increasing-dividends/.

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