Monday, April 30, 2018

7 Dividend Stocks Heating Up Their Yields

Dividends from a quality, well-diversified portfolio are much more predictable than capital gains and best of all, they are passive. You don't have to do anything, they just show up in your brokerage account each quarter. Inflation? Not to worry, the good companies routinely raise their dividends well in excess of the inflation rate.

This week as the weather turns cold the dividend increases heat up. Below are several companies heating up their yields with increased cash dividends:

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) operates as an integrated technology and services company worldwide. Recently the company increased its quarterly dividend 4.7x% to $1.57 per share. The dividend is payable June 9, 2018 to stockholders of record on May 10, 2018, with an ex-dividend date of May 9, 2018. The yield based on the new payout is 4.3%.

Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas in the United States, Canada/Other Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia/Oceania. Recently the company increased its quarterly dividend 6.5% to $0.82 per share. The dividend is payable June 11, 2018 to stockholders of record on May 14, 2018, with an ex-dividend date of May 11, 2018. The yield based on the new payout is 4.1%.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) researches and develops, manufactures, and sells various products in the health care field worldwide. Recently the company increased its quarterly dividend 7.1% to $0.90 per share. The dividend is payable June 12, 2018 to stockholders of record on May 29, 2018, with an ex-dividend date of May 28, 2018. The yield based on the new payout is 2.8%.

Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) operates membership warehouses. It offers branded and private-label products in a range of merchandise categories. Recently the company increased its quarterly dividend 14% to $0.57 per share. The dividend is payable May 25, 2018 to stockholders of record on May 11, 2018, with an ex-dividend date of May 10, 2018. The yield based on the new payout is 1.2%.

Royal Bank of Canada (RY) operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. Recently the company increased its quarterly dividend 3.3% to C$0.94 per share. The dividend is payable May 24, 2018 to stockholders of record on April 25, 2018, with an ex-dividend date of April 24, 2018. The yield based on the new payout is 3.9%.

MetLife, Inc. (MET) engages in the insurance, annuities, employee benefits, and asset management businesses. Recently the company increased its quarterly dividend 5% to $0.42 per share. The dividend is payable June 13, 2018 to stockholders of record on May 7, 2018, with an ex-dividend date of May 4, 2018. The yield based on the new payout is 3.5%.

Noble Energy, Inc. (NBL), an independent energy company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids worldwide. Recently the company increased its quarterly dividend 10% to $0.11 per share. The dividend is payable May 21, 2018 to stockholders of record on May 7, 2018, with an ex-dividend date of May 4, 2018. 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 XOM, JNJ in my Dividend Growth Stocks Portfolio. See a list of all my Dividend Growth Portfolio holdings here.

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Tags: IBM, XOM, JNJ, COST, RY, MET, NBL,