Any income investor will tell you that it is important for a company to sustain its dividend. However, as an investor in dividend growth stocks, it is not enough to simply sustain the dividend – I want to own companies that are capable of sustained dividend growth. Needless to say, this is a little more difficult to accomplish, but well-worth the time to find companies that can deliver on this expectation.Below are several companies growing their dividend and sending more cash to their shareholders:
UGI Corporation (UGI) is a distributor and marketer of energy products and services. April 28th the company increased its quarterly dividend 4% to $0.26/share. The dividend is payable July 1, 2011 to shareholders of record as of June 15, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 3.1%.
Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (CFR) is a financial holding company, headquartered in San Antonio, with $17.9 billion in assets at March 31, 2011 and more than 110 financial centers throughout Texas. April 26th the company increased its quarterly dividend 2.2% to $.46/share. The dividend is payable June 15, 2011 to shareholders of record on June 1 of this year. The yield based on the new payout is 3.1%.
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) engages in the research and development, manufacture, and sale of various products in the health care field worldwide. April 28th the company increased its quarterly dividend 5.6% to $0.57/share. The dividend is payable on June 14, 2011 to shareholders of record as of May 31, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 3.5%.
Arch Coal, Inc. (ACI) is one of the world's largest and most efficient coal producers, with more than 160 million tons of coal sold in 2010. April 28th the company increased its quarterly dividend 10% to $0.11/share. The dividend is payable June 15, 2011 to shareholders of record on June 1, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 1.2%.
American States Water Company (AWR) provides water service to approximately 1 out of 36 Californians within 75 communities and also distributes electricity to over 23,000 customers in the Big Bear recreational area of California. April 27th the company increased its quarterly dividend 7.7 % to $0.28/share. This action marks the 300th consecutive dividend payment by the Company. For more than 56 consecutive years, American States Water Company shareholders have received an increase in their aggregate annual dividend. The yield based on the new payout is 3.2%.
Artesian Resources Corporation (ARTNA) operates as the holding company of eight wholly-owned subsidiaries offering water, wastewater and engineering services on the Delmarva Peninsula. April 27th the company increased its quarterly dividend 0.5% to $0.1902/share. The dividend is payable on May 20, 2011 to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 10, 2011. Artesian has increased its dividends each year for the last 14 years. The yield based on the new payout is 3.9%.
Chevron Corporation (CVX) engages in petroleum, chemicals, mining, power generation, and energy operations worldwide. April 27th the company inceased its quarterly dividend 8.3% to $0.78/share. The dividend is payable June 10, 2011, to holders of common stock as shown on the transfer records of the Corporation at the close of business on May 19, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 2.9%.
W.W. Grainger, Inc. (GWW) is North America's leading broad line supplier of maintenance, repair and operating products, with an expanding presence in Asia and Latin America. April 27th the company increased its quarterly dividend 22% to $0.66/share. The dividend is payable on June 1, 2011, to shareholders of record on May 9, 2011. Grainger has provided 40 consecutive years of increased dividends, a record that only 12 companies in the S&P 500 can claim. The yield based on the new payout is 1.8%.
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide. April 27th the company increased its quarterly dividend 6.4% to $0.50/share. This is the eighth consecutive annual dividend increase. The dividend is payable June 11, 2011, to shareholders of record as of the close of business May 31, 2011, with an ex-dividend date of May 26, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 3.2%.
Parker Hannifin Corporation (PH) is the world's leading diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems. April 27th the company increased its quarterly dividend 16% to $0.37/share. The dividend is payable June 3, 2011 to shareholders of record as of May 10, 2011. This is the Company's 244th consecutive quarterly dividend, resulting in a total distribution to shareholders of approximately $60 million. The yield based on the new payout is 1.1%.
Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) operates membership warehouses that offer a selection of branded and private label products in a range of merchandise categories in no-frills, self-service warehouse facilities. April 26th the company increased its quarterly dividend 1.7% to $0.24/share. The dividend is payable May 27, 2011, to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 13, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 1.1%.
Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) is the leading Western European marketer, distributor, and producer of bottle and can liquid nonalcoholic refreshment and the world’s third-largest independent Coca-Cola bottler. April 26th the company increased its quarterly dividend to $0.13/share. The dividend is payable June 23, 2011 to shareowners of record on June 10, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 1.8%.
Coach, Inc. (COH) engages in the design and marketing of accessories and gifts for men and women. April 26th the company increased its quarterly dividend 50% to $0.225/share starting with the dividend to be paid to stockholders in July 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 1.5%.
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides information technology products and services worldwide. April 26th the company increased its quarterly dividend 15% to $0.75 per common share, payable June 10, 2011 to stockholders of record May 10, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 1.8%.
Williams Partners L.P. (WMB) is an integrated natural gas company focused on exploration and production. April 26th the company increased its quarterly dividend 60% to $0.20/share. The dividend payable June 27, 2011, to holders of record at the close of business on June 10. The yield based on the new payout is 2.4%.
Selecting stocks with increasing dividends is critical for an income growth strategy. The above list contains stocks that recently raised their dividends; it is not a list of recommend buys. As always, due diligence should be performed before buying or selling any stock. For a list of stocks with a long string of consecutive cash dividend increases, see this list.
Full Disclosure: Long JNJ, CVX. See a list of all my income holdings here.
Related Posts
- 6 Dividend Stocks That Will Make You Smile
- Three Dividend Stocks With A Perfect Risk Score
- 10 Dividend Stocks Delivering A Quick Payback
- 13 Dividend Stocks With A Good Yield/Growth Mix
- The 2011 Dividend Aristocrats
(Photo Credit)
Tags: [UGI] [CFR] [JNJ] [ACI] [AWR] [ARTNA] [CVX] [GWW] [NOC] [PH] [COST] [CCE] [COH] [IBM] [WMB]