Dividend Stocks: This Tech Giant Is Now the S&P 500's Biggest Dividend Payer

News about dividend stocks poured in last week, with some 85 companies increasing payouts.

Amid the flurry of boosts, buybacks, and splits, Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) stole the spotlight. On the heels of a strong Q2 in which the tech giant reported a 7% year-over-year increase in profits to $10.22 billion, and a 15% increase in earnings per share to $11.62, Apple handsomely rewarded shareholders.

dividend stocks 2014The Cupertino, Calif. company sweetened its quarterly dividend 8%, or $0.24 per share, to $3.29, for a 2.3% yield. That's worth an additional $827 million in annual payouts to shareholders, and the company added $1.5 billion to payouts last year.

Now it's the S&P 500 Index's biggest dividend payer. The iPhone maker also added $30 billion to its stock buyback program (to $90 billion) and declared an unusually large and rare 7-for-1 stock split.

The split has many experts suggesting Apple will be added to the illustrious Dow Jones Industrial Average. The biggest American company by market cap, Apple has never been part of the historic 30-stock index, due in large part to its high stock price. Once the split is complete on June 9, Apple is a more likely Dow candidate.

Following are 30 other dividend stocks that increased payouts in the week ending April 25, 2014.

Dividend-Paying Stocks That Just Boosted Payouts

Avery Denison Corp. (NYSE: AVY) raised its quarterly dividend $0.06 to $0.35 a share for a near 3% yield.

Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE: BHB) boosted its quarterly dividend 2.9% to $0.22 a share for a 2.41% yield. It was the Maine bank's 12th consecutive quarterly increase. The company also announced a 3-for-2 stock split payable May 19.

Celanese Corp. (NYSE: CE) raised its quarterly payout $0.07 to $0.25 a share for 1.21% yield.

Cullen/Frost Bankers Inc. (NYSE: CFR) upped its quarterly dividend a penny to $0.51 a share for a 2.6% yield.

EMC Corp. (NYSE: EMC) increased its quarterly dividend 15% to $0.115 a share for a 1.81% yield.

Fidelity Southern Corp. (Nasdaq: LION) doubled its dividend to $0.08 a share for a 2.33% yield.

First Merchants Corp. (Nasdaq: FRME) fattened its dividend $0.03 to $0.08 a share for a 1.5% yield.

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Global Partners LP (NYSE: GLP) upped its quarterly payout 2% to $0.62 a share for a 6.27% yield.

Holly Energy Partners LP (NYSE: HEP) hiked its quarterly dividend 1.5% to $0.50 a share for a 6.3% yield.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) boosted its quarterly dividend $0.04 to $0.70 a share for a 2.81% yield. The increase marks the 52nd consecutive year of dividend enrichments from the New Brunswick, N.J. healthcare giant.

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners LP (NYSE: KMP) raised its quarterly dividend 1.5% to $1.38 a share for a yield of 7.21%.

Lexmark International Inc. (NYSE: LXK) increased its quarterly dividend 20% to $0.36 per share for a 2.9% yield.

Magellan Midstream Partners LP (NYSE: MMP) hiked its dividend 4.7% to $0.61 a share for a 3.21% yield.

Markwest Energy Partners LP (NYSE: MWE) raised its quarterly dividend a penny to $0.87 a share for a 5.51% yield.

Metlife Inc. (NYSE: MET) increased its quarterly dividend 27.3% to $0.35 a share for a 2.74% yield. It's the second increase from the largest U.S. life issuer by assets since the 2008 financial crisis.

Noble Energy Inc. (NYSE: NBL) hiked its quarterly dividend $0.04 to $0.18 a share for a yield of 1%.

Northern Trust Corp. (Nasdaq: NTRS) raised its quarterly payout $0.02 to $0.33 a share for a 2.2% yield.

Omega Healthcare Investors Inc. (NYSE: OHI) upped its quarterly dividend a penny to $0.50 a share for a yield of 5.65%.

Oneok Inc. (NYSE: OKE) boosted its quarterly dividend $0.16 to $0.50 a share for a 3.57% yield.

Philips 66 Partners LP (NYSE: PSXP) padded its quarterly dividend 22% to $0.27 a share for a 2% yield.

QEP Midstream Partners LP (NYSE: QEPM) upped its quarterly payout a penny to $0.27 a share for a 4.7% yield.

Regions Financial Corp. (NYSE: RF) raised its quarterly dividend $0.02 to a nickel a share for a 1.18% yield. The Birmingham, Ala.-based bank also announced a $350 million share repurchase program.

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Simon Property Group Inc. (NYSE: SPG) sweetened its quarterly payout 4% to $1.30 a share for a yield of 3.05%.

Southern Co. (NYSE: SO) boosted its quarterly distribution 3.4% to $0.52 a share for a 4.54% yield. The Atlanta, Ga. utility company has been paying uninterrupted dividends since 1948.

SunCoke Energy Partners LP (NYSE: SXCP) increased its quarterly payout 5.3% to $0.50 a share for a yield just shy of 7%.

SunTrust Banks Inc. (NYSE: STI) hiked its quarterly dividend 100% to $0.20 a share for a 2.08% yield.

Tennet Co. (NYSE: TNC) raised its quarterly dividend $0.02 to $0.20 a share for a 1.3% yield.

Travelers Companies Inc. (NYSE: TRV) increased its quarterly payout a nickel to $0.55 a share for a 2.5% yield.

Unilever NV (NYSE ADR: UN) upped its quarterly payout 7.8% to $0.39 a share for a 3.44% yield.

William Partners LP (NYSE: WPZ) boosted its dividend 1.3% to $0.90 a share for a 7% yield.

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