14 Companies Increasing Dividends

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The dividend-hike cavalcade continued once again this week, with a plethora of large and small companies taking steps to please shareholders. This week’s batch of payout performers includes a giant health-care-products maker, the biggest of big retailers, a colossal Canadian bank and an American manufacturing icon.

Here are 14 companies that are increasing dividends:

Television-station operator Belo Corp. (NYSE:BLC) broadcast a 60% higher dividend signal, tuning its quarterly payout to 8 cents per share. The new dividend is payable on June 1 to shareholders of record on May 11. The new dividend yield, based on the March 1 closing price of $7.22 (the day the dividend was announced), is 4.43%.

Chipmaker Cypress Semiconductor (NASDAQ:CY) processed a 22% jump in its quarterly payout, to 11 cents per share. The new dividend is payable April 19 to shareholders at the close of business on March 29. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 27 closing price of $17.68, is 2.49%.

Iconic American agricultural-equipment maker Deere & Co. (NYSE:DE) plowed through its balance sheet and dug up a 12% dividend increase, to 46 cents per share. The new dividend is payable May 1 to shareholders of record as of March 30. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 29 closing price of $82.93, is 2.22%.

Oil-and-gas drilling-services company Ensco PLC (NYSE:ESV) drilled deep into its balance sheet and came up with a 7% hike in its quarterly payout, to 37.5 cents per share. The new dividend is payable March 23 to shareholders of record as of March 12. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 28 closing price of $58.34, is 2.57%.

Flow-control-product maker Flowserve (NYSE:FLS) turned up the surge of its quarterly dividend by 12.5%, to 36 cents per share. The new dividend is payable April 13 to shareholders of record as of the March 30. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 24 closing price of $119.29, is 1.21%.

Communication-equipment maker Harris Corp. (NYSE:HRS) supplies tactical radios to the military. This week the company listened to its balance sheet and moved its quarterly payout up 18%, to 33 cents per share. The new dividend is payable March 16 to shareholders of record March 7. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 27 closing price of $43.38, is 3.04%.

Health-care products giant Kimberly-Clark (NYSE:KMB) boosted the dividend dosage it administers to investors by 5.7%, to 74 cents per share. The new payout will be made April 3 to shareholders of record as of March 9. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 28 closing price of $72.23, is 4.10%. This is the 40th consecutive year Kimberly-Clark has raised its dividend.

Phosphate and potash producer Mosaic (NYSE:MOS) grew its annual dividend by 150%, to 50 cents per share. The new dividend is planned to go into effect with the next regularly scheduled dividend, which is expected to be announced in April. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 27 closing price of $58.97, is 0.85%.

Insurance and mortgage guarantor Old Republic International Corp (NYSE:ORI) wrote a new dividend policy that includes a 1.4% increase in its quarterly payout, to 17.75 cents per share. The new dividend is payable March 20 to shareholders of record as of March 12. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 29 closing price of $10.86, is 6.54%.

Energy holding company Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE) powered up its payout to shareholders, boosting its dividend 25%, to 60 cents per share. The new dividend is payable April 15 to shareholders of record as of March 26. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 28 closing price of $58.38, is 4.11%.

Medical-devices maker St. Jude Medical (NYSE:STJ) put in a stent to boost the flow of of its dividend, raising its payout 10%, to 23 cents per share. The new dividend is payable April 30 to shareholders of record as of March 30. The new dividend yield, based on the Feb. 27 closing price of $42.93, is 2.14%.

Shopping center real estate investment trust Taubman Centers (NYSE:TCO) raised the rent it pays to shareholders by 2.8%, to 46.25 cents per share. The new dividend is payable March 30 to shareholders of record as of March 15. The new dividend yield, based on the March 1 closing price of $69.37, is 2.67%.

Canadian financial-services giant Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD) lifted its quarterly payout by 5.9%, to 72 cents per share. The new dividend is payable April 30 to shareholders of record as of April 4. The new dividend yield, based on the March 1 closing price of $83.15, is 3.46%.

Discount retail behemoth Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE:WMT) put a yellow smiley face on investors with a 9% increase in its quarterly payout, to 39.75 cents per share. The new dividend is payable April 4 to shareholders of record as of March 12. The new dividend yield, based on the March 1 closing price of $58.82, is 2.70%.

At the time of publication, Jim Woods held no positions in any of the stocks mentioned here, though he can frequently be found sitting atop his John Deere tractor.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2012/03/14-companies-increasing-dividends/.

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