Friday, August 19, 2011

9 Dividend Stocks Providing Positive Feedback

What is the primary reason you invest in dividend stocks? For me, it is a means to build a growing income that can be relied on during retirement. One of the beauties of dividend investing is it provides you continuous feedback. As the years and decades go by you can see your earnings steadily grow as you invest your money in dividend stocks, and as an added bonus, great dividend stocks will increase their dividend payments each year.

This week several companies provided their shareholders positive feedback with increased cash dividends:

ITC Holdings Corp. (ITC), through its subsidiaries, engages in the transmission of electricity in the United States. August 17th the company increased its quarterly dividend 5.2% to $0.3525 per share. The dividend is payable on September 15, 2011 to shareholders of record on September 1, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 1.9%.

Pacific Continental Corporation (PCBK) operates as the bank holding company for Pacific Continental Bank that provides commercial banking services primarily in Oregon and Washington. August 17th the company tripled its quarterly dividend to $0.03 per share. The dividend is payable September 15, 2011, to shareholders of record on September 5, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 1.5%.

Commercial National Financial Corporation (CANF) operates as a holding company for the Commercial Bank & Trust of PA that provides various commercial banking and trust services primarily in Pennsylvania. August 17th the company increased its quarterly dividend 18% to $0.26 per share. The dividend is payable September 2 to shareholders of record as of August 26. The yield based on the new payout is 5.4%.

Atrion Corporation (ATRI) develops and manufactures ophthalmology, cardiovascular, and fluid delivery devices primarily for medical applications in the United States and internationally. August 16th the company increased it quarterly dividend 17% to $0.49 per share. The dividend is payable on September 30, 2011 to stockholders of record at the close of business on September 15, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 1.0%.

Nordson Corporation (NDSN) manufactures equipment used for precision dispensing, testing and inspection, and surface preparation and curing. August 16th the company increased its quarterly dividend 19% to $0.125 per share. The dividend is payable on September 13, 2011 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 30, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 1.1%.

Southside Bancshares, Inc. (SBSI) operates as the holding company for Southside Bank that provides financial products and services to individuals, businesses, municipal entities, and non-profit organizations. August 15th the company increased its quarterly dividend 5.9% to $0.18 per share. The dividend is payable to shareholders of record August 25, 2011. The cash dividend is scheduled for payment on September 8, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 3.6%.

Badger Meter, Inc. (BMI) engages in manufacturing and marketing liquid flow measurement and control technology products worldwide. August 12 the company increased its quarterly dividend 14% to $0.16 per share. The dividend is payable September 15, 2011, to shareholders of record August 31, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 1.8%.

Cincinnati Financial Corporation (CINF) engages in the property casualty insurance business in the United States. August 12th the company increased its quarterly dividend 0.6% to $0.4025 per share. The dividend is payable on payable October 17, 2011, to shareholders of record as of September 21, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 6.1%.

Torchmark Corporation (TMK) provides individual life and supplemental health insurance products, and annuities to middle income households. August 12th the company increased its quarterly dividend to $0.12 per share. The dividend is payable on November 1, 2011 to shareholders of record on October 7, 2011. The yield based on the new payout is 1.3%.

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 CINF. See a list of all my dividend growth holdings here.

Related Posts
- Increasing Dividend Yield Part VI: Time
- Increasing Dividend Yield Part V: MLPs
- Increasing Dividend Yield Part IV: Bonds
- Increasing Dividend Yield Part III: Preferred Stock
- Increasing Dividend Yield Part II: REITs
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Tags: [ITC] [PCBK] [CANF] [ATRI] [NDSN] [SBSI] [BMI] [CINF] [TMK]