Friday, 5 March 2010

Six Significant Dividend Increases

Six Significant Dividend Increases
By: Dividend Growth Investor   Monday, March 01, 2010 9:50 AM

Any company could afford to boost distributions in a single year. Any type of business could also have a high yield, especially if it distributes all of its cash flows to shareholders. It takes a special kind of a business model to afford a proper balance between investing back into the business and distributing excess profits to shareholders. It is even more exciting when those distributions have been increased regularly for over ten consecutive years. I have highlighted six dividend stocks each of which has consistently raised distributions for over two decades. Altria Group, Inc. (MOStock Charts and Research Links20.40.06), through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes, wine, and other tobacco products in the United States and internationally. The company's board of directors raised its quarterly dividend by 2.90% to 35 cents/share. This is the 43rd consecutive dividend increase for Altria Group. The only reason why the company is not on the dividend aristocrat list is because its dividend payment is lower due to the spin-off of Phillip Morris International (PMStock Charts and Research Links50.650.68) in 2008 and Kraft Foods (KFTStock Charts and Research Links29.060.07) in 2007. The company does have a policy to return approximately 75% of earnings to shareholders in the form of cash distributions. Stock currently yields 7%. (analysis)

Kimberly-Clark Corporation, (
KMBStock Charts and Research Links60.010.02) together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and marketing of various health care products worldwide. The company's board of directors raised distributions by 10% to 66 cents/share. This is the 38th consecutive annual dividend increase for this dividend aristocrat. The stock yields 4.40%.


The Chubb Corporation (CBStock Charts and Research Links51.210.09), through its subsidiaries, provides property and casualty insurance to businesses and individuals. The company raised its quarterly dividend by 5.7% to 37 cents/share. This was the 45th consecutive annual dividend increase for this dividend aristocrat. The stock currently yields 2.90%.

CenturyTel, Inc. (
CTLStock Charts and Research Links34.13-0.44), together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated communications company. The company raised its quarterly distributions by 3.60% to 72.50 cents/share. This increase would represent the 37th consecutive year where this dividend aristocrat has boosted annual distributions to shareholders. The stock currently yields 8.50%.

Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc. (
PNYStock Charts and Research Links26.38-0.12), an energy services company, distributes natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and power generation customers in portions of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The company boosted distributions by 3.70% to 28 cent/share, marking the 32nd consecutive annual dividend increase. This high yield dividend aristocrat yields 4.30%.

Donaldson Company, Inc. (
DCIStock Charts and Research Links42.370.1), together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of filtration systems and replacement parts worldwide. The company's board of directors raised distributions by 4% to 12cents/share marking the 24th consecutive year of dividend increases. This dividend achiever currently yields 1.20%.

I view
Kimberly-Clark (KMBStock Charts and Research Links60.010.02) and Chubb (CBStock Charts and Research Links51.210.09) as attractively valued stocks. I plan adding to my position in Chubb (CB) this month. Piedmont Natural Gas Company (PNY) looks like an interesting company for further research. Altria (MOStock Charts and Research Links20.40.06) and CenturyLink (CTLStock Charts and Research Links34.13-0.44) are two high yielding dividend growth stocks, which also spot high dividend payout ratios. I would choose tobacco over telecom however, because once you are addicted to it is difficult to stop using the product. With telecom you could easily cancel your telephone and get a cell phone or simply use Skype instead. Donaldson (DCI) does seem like a company that could be included in the dividend aristocrat list over the next one or two years. The problem is the low current yield, the anemic dividend growth rate and the high price/earnings multiple of 27.

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewarticle/articleid/3904657

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