Monday, January 9, 2017

8 Companies Showing Confidence With Increased Dividends

A person’s character is determined by how they behave when no one else is looking and during difficult times. In much the same way, we can learn a lot about a company’s management when they face adversity. One metric I look at closely during a downturn is cash generation relative to earnings. The ability of a company to grow its dividend throughout the economic cycle is highly dependent on the management’s ability to generate cash in a downturn.

Below are several select companies with a management confident enough to increase their cash dividends:

Enbridge Inc. (ENB) is an energy transportation and distribution company. January 6th the company increased its quarterly dividend 10% to C$0.583 per share. The dividend is payable March 1, 2017 to stockholders of record on February 15, 2017, with an ex-dividend date of February 13, 2017. The yield based on the new payout is 4.1%.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CNP) is a public utility holding company. January 6th the company increased its quarterly dividend 3.9% to $0.27 per share. The dividend is payable March 10, 2017 to stockholders of record on February 16, 2017, with an ex-dividend date of February 14, 2017. The yield based on the new payout is 4.1%.

Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (EPD) is a provider of midstream energy services to producers and consumers of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, petrochemicals and refined products in North America. January 5th the partnership increased its quarterly distribution 1.2% to $0.41 per unit. The distribution is payable February 7, 2017 to unitholders of record on January 31, 2017, with an ex-dividend date of January 27, 2017. The yield based on the new payout is 6.1%.

Spectra Energy Corp (SE) is a natural gas infrastructure company. The Company owns and operates natural gas-related energy assets and a crude oil pipeline system connecting Canadian and the United States producers to refineries. January 5th the company increased its quarterly dividend 8.6% to $0.44 per share. The dividend is payable March 1, 2017 to stockholders of record on February 15, 2017, with an ex-dividend date of February 13, 2017. The yield based on the new payout is 4.2%.

Urstadt Biddle Properties Inc. (UBA) is a real estate investment trust that is engaged in the acquisition, ownership and management of commercial real estate, with primary emphasis on properties in the metropolitan New York tri-state area outside of the City of New York. January 4th the company increased its quarterly dividend 1.9% to $0.265 per share. The dividend is payable January 20, 2017 to stockholders of record on January 6, 2017, with an ex-dividend date of January 4, 2017. The yield based on the new payout is 4.4%.

Moelis & Company (MC) is an investment banking advisory firm that provides strategic and financial advice to a client base, including corporations, governments and financial sponsors. January 4th the company increased its quarterly dividend 16% to $0.37 per share. The dividend is payable March 17, 2017 to stockholders of record on March 3, 2017, with an ex-dividend date of March 1, 2017. The yield based on the new payout is 4.2%.

Bank of the Ozarks, Inc. (OZRK) is a bank holding company that conducts operations through approximately 257 offices. January 3rd the company increased its quarterly dividend 3% to $0.17 per share. The dividend is payable January 27, 2017 to stockholders of record on January 20, 2017, with an ex-dividend date of January 18, 2017. The yield based on the new payout is 1.3%.

Brixmor Property Group Inc. (BRX) is an internally managed real estate investment trust (REIT). January 3rd the company increased its quarterly dividend 6.1% to $0.26 per share. The dividend is payable January 17, 2017 to stockholders of record on January 5, 2017, with an ex-dividend date of January 3, 2017. The yield based on the new payout is 4.2%.

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 UBA in my High-Yield Portfolio. See a list of all my Dividend Growth Portfolio holdings here.

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Tags: EPD, SE, ENB, CNP, OZRK, BRX, UBA, MC,