Earnings season has been “okay” for the most part, but the real driver of stock prices lately has more to do with global central banks than anything else.
The European Central Bank is likely to add more quantitative easing when it next meets in December, and China’s central bank just cut interest rates.
Given that the macro is driving stocks of late, it can sometimes be easy to forget that there are still many high-profile dividend stocks increasing payouts.
Last week, we had a major clothing manufacturer, a large-cap tech stalwart and a pipeline giant all moving to increase their respective payouts to shareholders.
Dividend Stocks Increasing Payouts
AptarGroup (ATR) dispensed a 7.1% bigger dose of dividends, increasing to 30 cents per share from 28 cents. The maker of consumer product dispensing systems will send its new payment to shareholders on Nov. 25 to owners of record as of Nov. 4. Shares become ex-dividend on Nov. 2.
ATR Dividend Yield: 1.68%
Huntington Bancshares (HBAN) upped its quarterly cash dividend 16.7%, or a penny, to 7 cents per share from 6 cents. The Midwest regional bank will make its new dividend payable Jan. 4 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 21. HBAN shares will become ex-dividend on Dec. 17.
HBAN Dividend Yield: 2.56%
Kinder Morgan (KMI) pumped through a 4.1% increase in its quarterly payout to 51 cents per share from 49 cents. The pipeline giant will send its new payment on Nov. 13 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 2. The stock will become ex-dividend on Oct. 29.
KMI Dividend Yield: 7.23%
Macerich Company (MAC) dialed up the rent it pays shareholders by 4.6% to 68 cents per share from 65 cents. The retail REIT operator will send it enhanced payout on Dec. 4 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 12. MAC goes ex-dividend Nov. 9.
MAC Dividend Yield: 3.24%
MarkWest Energy Partners (MWE) added an additional 1.1% to its quarterly payment to 93 cents per share from 92 cents. The new distribution is payable Nov. 13 to unitholders of record as of Nov. 4. Units go ex-dividend on Nov. 2.
MWE Dividend Yield: 9.31%
Seagate Technology (STX) booted up a 16.7% boost in its quarterly dividend to 63 cents per share from 54 cents. The computer hard-drive maker’s new payment will be ready Nov. 20 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 6. STX becomes ex-dividend on Nov. 4.
STX Dividend Yield: 6.34%
Spectra Energy Partners (SEP) added another 2% more fiscal power to its quarterly payout to 62.6 cents per share from 61.4 cents. The natural gas pipeline trust will make its new distribution available on Nov. 25 to unitholders of record as of Oct. 29. SEP will see its units go ex-dividend on Oct. 27.
SEP Dividend Yield: 5.75%
StanCorp Financial Group (SFG) assured shareholders of its fiscal fitness, upping its annual dividend 7.7% to $1.40 per share from $1.30. The new payment will be sent out Nov. 30 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 10. The accident and health-insurance provider’s shares will go ex-dividend on Nov. 6.
SFG Dividend Yield: 1.22%
V.F. Corporation (VFC) put on a new, 15.6% nicer set of dividend clothes, to 37 cents per share from 32 cents. The diversified clothing seller’s bigger dividend will be ready to wear on Dec. 18 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 8. The stock will go ex-dividend on Dec. 4.
VFC Dividend Yield: 2.23%
As of this writing, Jim Woods did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
