Friday, December 9, 2011

21 Dividend Stocks Raising Their Payouts And Yields

In a down-market when many people are rushing to buy gold, I take comfort that I already have mine. No, not that kind, but something much better! A growing stream of dividend income from solid companies. While everyone else is panicked about their portfolio’s decline, I see a downturn as an incredible buying opportunity. Lower prices, rising yields and growing dividends, its hard to beat that combination.

Below are several select companies that recently announced dividend increases:

C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. (CHRW), a third-party logistics company, provides multimodal freight transportation services and logistics solutions to companies in various industries worldwide. December 8th the company increased its quarterly dividend 13.4% to $0.33 per share. The dividend is payable January 3, 2012, to shareholders of record on December 20, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 2.0%.

Edison International (EIX) engages in the supply of electric energy. December 8th the company increased its quarterly dividend 1.6% to $0.325 per share. The dividend is payable January 31, 2012 to shareholders of record on December 30, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 3.4%.

BCE Inc. (BCE), a communications company, provides wireline voice and wireless communications services, Internet access, data services, and video services to residential, business, and wholesale customers in Canada. December 8th the company increased its annual dividend 5% to $2.17 per share. The dividend is payable on April 15, 2012. The yield based on the new payout is 5.5%.

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited (AXS) provides various insurance and reinsurance products to insureds and reinsureds worldwide. December 8th the company increased its quarterly dividend 4% to $0.24 per share. The dividend is payable on January 17, 2012 to the shareholders of record at the close of business on December 30, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 3.1%.

U-Store-It Trust (CUBE) operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT). December 8th the company increased its quarterly dividend 14% to $0.08 per share. The dividend is payable on January 15, 2012 to shareholders of record on January 5, 2012. The yield based on the new payout is 3.2%.

National Health Investors, Inc. (NHI), a real estate investment trust (REIT), invests in health care properties, primarily in the long-term care industry in the United States. December 8th the company increased its quarterly dividend 5.7% to $0.65 per share. The dividend is payable to shareholders of record on December 31, 2011 and payable on January 31, 2012. The yield based on the new payout is 6.1%.

Dynex Capital, Inc. (DX) operates as a mortgage real estate investment trust (REIT). December 8th the company increased it quarterly dividend 3.7% to $0.28 per share. The dividend is payable on January 31, 2012 to shareholders of record as of December 30, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 12.3%.

Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT) operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT) in the United States. December 8th the company increased its quarterly dividend 0.8% to $0.61 per share. The dividend is payable on December 30, 2011 to shareholders of record as of December 19, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 6.7%.

H&R Block, Inc. (HRB) provides tax preparation, retail banking, and various business advisory and consulting services. December 8th the company increased its quarterly dividend 33% to $0.20 cents per share. The dividend is payable January 5, 2012, to shareholders of record as of December 22, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 5.1%.

The Valspar Corporation (VAL) manufactures and distributes coatings, paints, and related products worldwide. December 7th the company increased its quarterly dividend 11.1% to $0.20 per share. The dividend is payable January 13, 2012 to all common stockholders of record on January 3, 2012. The yield based on the new payout is 2.2%.

Enbridge Inc. (ENB) engages in the transportation and distribution of crude oil and natural gas primarily in Canada and the United States. December 7th the company increased its quarterly dividend 15% to $0.2825 per common share. The dividend is payable March 1, 2012 to shareholders of record on February 15, 2012. The yield based on the new payout is 3.2%.

Erie Indemnity Company (ERIE) provides sales, underwriting, and policy issuance services to the policyholders of Erie Insurance Exchange in the United States. December 7th the company increased its quarterly dividend 7.3% to $0.5525 per share. The dividend is payable January 20, 2012, to shareholders of record as of January 5, 2012, with a dividend ex-date of January 3, 2012. The yield based on the new payout is 2.9%.

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (AMP) provides financial planning, products, and services primarily in the United States. December 7th the company increased its quarterly dividend 22% to 0.28 per share. The dividend is payable on February 24, 2012 to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 10, 2012. The yield based on the new payout is 1.9%.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY), a global biopharmaceutical company, discovers, develops, and delivers innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. December 6th the company increased its quarterly dividend 3% to $0.34 per share. The dividend is payable on February 1, 2012, to stockholders of record at the close of business on January 6, 2012. The yield based on the new payout is 4.1%.

Hillenbrand, Inc. (HI) designs, manufactures, distributes, and sells funeral service products to licensed funeral directors operating licensed funeral homes. December 6th the company increased its quarterly dividend 1.3% to $0.1925 per share. The dividend is payable Dec. 30, 2011 , to shareholders of record at the close of business on Dec. 16, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 3.5%.

Baytex Energy Corp. (BTE) engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of petroleum and natural gas in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin and the United States. December 6th the company increased its monthly dividend 10% to $0.22 per share. The dividend is payable on January 17, 2012 to shareholders of record on December 30, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 4.8%.

J&J Snack Foods Corp. (JJSF) manufactures nutritional snack foods, as well as distributes frozen beverages to the food service and retail supermarket industries in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. December 5th the company increased its quarterly dividend 10.6% to $0.13 per share. The dividend is payable on January 5, 2012 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 15, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 1.0%.

Churchill Downs Incorporated (CHDN) provides pari-mutuel horseracing content and technology for consumers and businesses. December 5th the comnpany increased its annual dividend 20% to $0.60 per share. The dividend is payable Jan. 23, 2012, to shareholders of record on Dec. 30, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 1.2%.

Goldcorp Inc. (GG) engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and operation of precious metal properties in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Central and South America. December 5th the company increased its monthly dividend 32% to $0.045 per share. This is the third increase in the Company's dividend in the last 13 months. The dividend is payable to shareholders of record as of December 16, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 1.1%.

Graco Inc. (GGG) designs, manufactures, and markets systems and equipment to move, measure, control, dispense, and spray fluid materials. December 2nd the company increased its quarterly dividend 7.1% to $0.225 cents per share. The dividend is payable on February 1, 2012, to shareholders of record at the close of business on January 17, 2012. The yield based on the new payout is 2.1%.

Aetna Inc. (AET) operates as a diversified health care benefits company in the United States. December 2nd the company increased its quarterly dividend 1.7% to $0.175 per share. The dividend is payable on January 27, 2012, to shareholders of record at the close of business on January 13, 2012. The yield based on the new payout is 1.7%.

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 UHT (Dividend Growth Portfolio), NHI (High Yield Portfolio). See a list of all my dividend growth holdings here.

Related Posts
- Focus On Stocks, Not The Market
- 7 Investor Traits to Achieve Success
- Dividend Stocks Secret Ingredient
- Five Dividend Stocks With Different Reasons Not To Buy
- Has The Insurance Industry Finally Turned The Corner?
(Photo Credit)

Tags: [BMY] [AXS] [HRB] [AET] [VAL] [ENB] [AMP] [ERIE] [CHRW] [EIX] [BCE] [CUBE] [DX] [HI] [BTE] [JJSF] [CHDN] [GG] [GGG] [NHI] [UHT]