These Two Companies Are Shoving Mountains Of Cash To Their Shareholders

Income investors love to watch those periodic dividends show up in their brokerage accounts. Good dividend growth stocks send them consistently and give us a raise at least once a year.

Some companies want to give their shareholders something special. When you have a mountain of cash sitting on your balance sheet you can make your shareholders really happy by sharing the wealth in the form of special dividend, and that's what these two companies decided to do this week...

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Illinois Tool Works Inc. is a diversified manufacturer operates a portfolio of 60 business units that serve industrial and consumer markets globally.

4 Communications Services Stocks With Increasing Dividends

With Treasury interest rates at historic lows, a lot of income investors are looking for higher yielding investments. This not only includes investors who in the past would only invest in "safe" U.S. debt, but also those who retired with an under-sized nest egg and need more income to live on. One of the places that income-hungry investors turn to is the higher yielding investments in the Communications Services sector.

Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Verizon Communications Inc. is the largest U.S. wireless carrier, Verizon also offers wireline and broadband services primarily in the northeastern U.S.

Weekly Links: August 26, 2012

Each Sunday I highlight the Carnivals I participated in over the past week, along with any notable articles that I came across. For those readers not familiar with carnivals, it's where personal finance bloggers submit their best articles of the week with one blog serving as the host. The entries are separated into various categories such as Investing, Credit, Debt, Budgeting, Frugality, Wealth Building, Money Management, Financial Planning, Insurance, Taxes, The Economy, Real Estate, et. al. Below are the carnivals that I participated in this week, along with a link to my article:

July 2012 Pocket Change Portfolio Performance

The Pocket Change Portfolio (PCP) was first introduced on September 13, 2008 as a real money dividend income portfolio funded by the "pocket change" earned from my various online endeavors. Each month I report on the portfolio's progress and dividends earned.

For Over 50 Years This Little Insurance Company Has Paid Big Dividends

Insurance helps you manage risk and provides you, and your loved ones, peace of mind. It is great when an insurance company can offer the same benefits to its shareholders. One insurance company in Ohio has provided its shareholders with a growing dividend for 52 years, and it just raised its dividend again.

People's United Financial Inc. (PBCT) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of People's United Financial Inc. (PBCT). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: People's United Financial Inc. provides a full range of banking and financial service products to individuals, corporations and municipal customers in the U.S. Northeast.

The Elite Dividend Stocks

As investors in Dividend Growth Stocks, we want to limit our purchases to only the very best stocks. Our first step is to look at published lists of dividend companies such as S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, US Broad Dividend Achievers™ Index and The U.S. Dividend Champions.

These lists are used to narrow the population of all publicly traded companies down to the very best dividend stocks. When these lists are combined, as I did with the Stock Ideas list, it is still a large and daunting collection of over 200 unique companies. So, how do we find the Elite companies on this list?

Emerson Electric Co. (EMR) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Emerson Electric Co. (EMR). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Emerson Electric Co. designs and supplies product technology, and delivers engineering services and solutions to a wide range of industrial, commercial, and consumer markets around the world.

Weekly Links: August 19, 2012

Each Sunday I highlight the Carnivals I participated in over the past week, along with any notable articles that I came across. For those readers not familiar with carnivals, it's where personal finance bloggers submit their best articles of the week with one blog serving as the host. The entries are separated into various categories such as Investing, Credit, Debt, Budgeting, Frugality, Wealth Building, Money Management, Financial Planning, Insurance, Taxes, The Economy, Real Estate, et. al. Below are the carnivals that I participated in this week, along with a link to my article:

This Mega-Cap Tech Stock Increased Its Dividend 75%

Move over Intel (INTC) and Microssoft (MSFT). Two years ago this networking giant didn't even pay a dividend. In April of this year, it increased its dividend 33%. Most investors would be satisifed with that increase, but the company wasn't finished boosting its dividend in 2012.

August 14th Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) increased its quarterly dividend 75% to $0.14 per share. The dividend is payable October 24, 2012 shareholders of record as of the close of business on October 4, 2012. The yield based on the new payout is 3.2%.

Leggett & Platt, Inc. (LEG) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Leggett & Platt, Inc. (LEG). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Leggett & Platt Inc. makes a broad line of bedding and furniture components and other home, office and commercial furnishings, as well as products for non-furnishings markets.

Warren Buffett's Two Investing Rules For Dividend Investors

We all like things presented in their simplest terms. Headlines like "Two simple steps to lose that unwanted weight" always grabs our attention, even if it is just to smile and say I wish it were true. I enjoy reading inspiring quotes. They often put life's issues in their simplest terms and in doses that are easy to swallow.

AT&T Inc. (T) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of AT&T Inc. (T). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: AT&T Inc. provides telephone and broadband service and holds full ownership of AT&T Mobility (formerly Cingular Wireless).

Weekly Links: August 12, 2012

Each Sunday I highlight the Carnivals I participated in over the past week, along with any notable articles that I came across. For those readers not familiar with carnivals, it's where personal finance bloggers submit their best articles of the week with one blog serving as the host. The entries are separated into various categories such as Investing, Credit, Debt, Budgeting, Frugality, Wealth Building, Money Management, Financial Planning, Insurance, Taxes, The Economy, Real Estate, et. al. Below are the carnivals that I participated in this week, along with a link to my article:

Dividend Income Progress Update - July 2012

Once again it is time for a goals/progress update. I am pleased to report that annualized dividend income increased in July, extending the streak to 25 consecutive months of increases after June 2010's decline. Since I began publicly tracking annualized dividend income in November 2007, it has increased in 54 of the last 56 months.

My goals were defined in this December 1, 2007 Investing Goals post and last updated in my 2012 Investing Goals post. Below is an updated version of the table found in the original post.

This Aristocrat Yields 5% and Has Increased Dividends For 40 Years

For 40 consecutive years Leggett & Platt, Incorporated (LEG) has not missed a dividend increase. August 8th the company continued its streak by increasing its quarterly divided 3.6% to $0.29 per share. The dividend is payable October 15, 2012 to shareholders of record on September 14, 2012. The yield based on the new payout is 5.0%.

Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Lockheed Martin Corp. is the world's largest military weapons manufacturer, is also a significant supplier to NASA and other non-defense government agencies. LMT receives about 93% of its revenues from global defense sales.

10 Stocks That Have Paid Uninterrupted Dividends Since 1899

Over the last several years some companies have chosen to not raise their dividend, while others decided to cut their dividend and a few even decided to stop paying a dividend. In some cases their financials did not warrant the change. As investors in dividend growth stocks, we want to look for companies with a positive dividend culture.

Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. is one of the world's leading agribusiness concerns, with major market positions in agricultural processing and merchandising.

Weekly Links: August 5, 2012

Each Sunday I highlight the Carnivals I participated in over the past week, along with any notable articles that I came across. For those readers not familiar with carnivals, it's where personal finance bloggers submit their best articles of the week with one blog serving as the host. The entries are separated into various categories such as Investing, Credit, Debt, Budgeting, Frugality, Wealth Building, Money Management, Financial Planning, Insurance, Taxes, The Economy, Real Estate, et. al. Below are the carnivals that I participated in this week, along with a link to my article:

This Stock Had A Double-Digit Yield Before Thursday's Increase

Medley Capital (MCC) is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The firm invests in the public equity markets of the United States. August 2nd the company increased its quarterly dividend 16% to $0.36 per share. The dividend is payable on September 14, 2012 to stockholders of record as of August 24, 2012. The yield based on the new payout is 11.8%.

Owens & Minor, Inc. (OMI) Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Owens & Minor, Inc. (OMI). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Owens & Minor Inc. is a leading domestic distributor of medical and surgical supplies to the acute care market, a health care supply chain management company, and a direct-to-consumer (DTC) supplier of testing and monitoring supplies for diabetes.