Over the past two weeks, financial markets have been mired in all sorts of global drama. From Greece’s bailout woes to China’s huge meltdown to speculation on when the Fed will finally drop the hammer on interest rates, the equity landscape has cranked up the volatility meter to “high.”
Yet while the drama plays out in the trading pits, we continue to see a healthy number of high-profile dividend stocks moving to increase payouts and make shareholders forget about all the tumult.
Here are six dividend stocks increasing payouts.
Duke Energy (DUK) powered up a 3.8% surge in its quarterly dividend to 82.5 cents per share from 79.5 cents. The utility operator will recharge shareholders on Sept. 16 to owners of record as of Aug. 14. The stock becomes ex-dividend on Aug. 12. DUK has the highest yield of this week’s dividend stocks.
DUK Dividend Yield: 4.44%
Lake Sunapee Bank Group (LSBG) upped its dividend by 7.7%, or a penny per share, to 14 cents per share from 13 cents. The regional bank holding company will make its new dividend payable July 31 to shareholders of record as of July 24. The stock will be ex-dividend on July 22.
LSBG Dividend Yield: 3.78%
Paccar (PCAR) said it will deliver a 9.1% increase in its quarterly payout to 24 cents per share from 22 cents. The maker of heavy duty trucks and truck parts said its new payment will arrive on Sept. 4 to shareholders of record as of Aug. 14. PCAR shares go ex-dividend on Aug. 12.
PCAR Dividend Yield: 1.51%
Paychex Inc. (PAYX) provides human resources and payroll services, and last week the company increased the take-home pay of shareholders by 10.5% to 42 cents per share from 38 cents. The dividend is payable Aug. 20 to shareholders of record as of Aug. 3. Paychex shares go ex-dividend on July 30.
PAYX Dividend Yield: 3.52%
Ryder System, Inc. (R) drove in a 10.8% higher payment to 41 cents a share from 37 cents. The commercial fleet management and transportation firm said the new dividend is payable Sept. 18 to shareholders of record as of Aug. 24. Ryder stock becomes ex-dividend on Aug. 20. R stock had the biggest increase among this week’s list of dividend stocks.
R Dividend Yield: 1.82%
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) is the biggest retail drugstore chain in the country, and its size helped it increase the size of its payout to shareholders by 6.7%. The new dividend of 36 cents per share from the prior dividend of 33.75 cents will be paid on Sept. 11 to shareholders of record as of Aug. 19. WBA stock will go ex-dividend on Aug. 17.
WBA Dividend Yield: 1.55%
As of this writing, Jim Woods did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
