by Diane Alter
Investors' appetite for top dividend-paying stocks continues to grow as U.S. companies get more generous with distributions.
Annual dividend stock payouts by S&P 500 companies totaled $34.80 per share in 2013, and that amount is expected to grow 9.9% to a record $38.98 a share this year, thanks to the record $1.1 trillion cash sitting on companies' balance sheets as of April 1, 2014.
Following are the 18 dividend stocks raising payouts in the week ending May 30.
Dow Jones futures today, June 2, 2014: Dow Jones futures were up this morning (Monday) after the Dow Jones Industrial Average squeezed out a record-breaking close on Friday. The Standard and Poor's 500 followed suit, setting up for a positive start today following its own record-high on Friday. Nasdaq futures were also higher before market open.
Here’s what you should know to make your Monday profitable:
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Hardly anyone would argue that China isn't an economic miracle.
Over the last 20 years, its 1.3 billion people have propelled the Chinese economy into the world's No. 2 spot.
But two decades of blistering 10% annual growth have moderated to 7%.
However, a potential sea change is underway in its southern neighbor, India.
With a new, impressive prime minister, and a burgeoning consumer population, they're setting up as the next economic miracle… Full Story
There's nothing we like better than discovering a "back" way into the current hot deal.
It's just so gratifying to find that sorta-secret way to bag profits from the IPO or merger that's dominating the headlines and that everyone you work with is so excited to talk about.
We did that for you with the Alibaba Holdings Inc. initial public stock offering (IPO). In our special research report, How to Make a Fast 153% from the Alibaba IPO, we give you three "backdoor" ways to profit from the upcoming stock offering of the China Internet giant.
Today we're coming back with a different "backdoor-profit-play" strategy.
This strategy offers an alternate way to profit from the already-announced $67.1 billion bid that AT&T Inc. has made for DirecTV.
It's also a way to profit from the surprisingly strong tech sector that's emerging right next door…
