Dividend Investing News: GM, GILD, and 29 More Increases

dividend investingDividend Investing News, Feb. 9, 2015: Stocks that sport attractive and growing dividends are still the best option for income seekers as interest rates remain low.

More than half of S&P 500 companies currently yield more than the 10-year Treasury note's 1.93%. Plus, dividend stocks offer an added bonus of potential capital appreciation. Investors can't get that from Treasuries.

A total of 76 dividend stocks raised payouts last week, including General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM). Nine companies announced special dividends.

Biotech giant Gilead Sciences Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) also announced last Thursday it will start paying a dividend in Q2 2015. Gilead will pay a quarterly dividend of $0.43 for a yield of 1.75%.

Following are 30 notable companies that hiked payouts during the week ending Feb. 6.

Dividend Investing: 30 New Increases

The Power of Dividend Stocks

  • Stability. Research shows that dividend-paying stocks have outperformed non-dividend payers in four of the last five decades. And during periods when the Fed's monetary policy is neutral or easing, the gain for dividend-paying stocks is 12.3% vs. 6.2% in neutral environments and 10.0% vs. -2.5% in easing periods.
  • Performance. Dividend-paying stocks outperform non-dividend paying stocks by even more in down markets than they do in up markets. That's because dividend payers attract investors when the share price falls and the dividend yield rises.
  • Growth. Investors can substantially expand their asset base when they consistently reinvest dividends. In fact, 85% to 90% of total stock market returns come from dividends and the reinvestment of those dividends.

AGL Resources Inc. (NYSE: GAS) raised its quarterly dividend $0.02 to $0.51 a share for a 3.72% yield. The March 1 dividend marks the 269th consecutive quarterly payout from the energy services company since 1948.

Archer Daniels Midland Co. (NYSE: ADM) moved its quarterly dividend up $0.04 to $0.28 a share for a 5.5% yield. ADM has been growing its dividend for the last 40 years.

Bemis Co. Inc. (NYSE: BMS) boosted its quarterly payout a penny to $0.28 a share for a 2.33% yield.

Church & Dwight Co. Inc. (NYSE: CHD) increased its quarterly dividend 8.1% to $0.33 a share for a 1.63% yield. CHD has been boosting its dividend for the last nine years.

Cincinnati Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: CINF) hiked its quarterly payout $0.02 to $0.46 a share for a 3.54% yield.

CME Group Inc.  (NYSE: CME) raised its quarterly dividend $0.03 to $0.50 a share for a 2% yield. The operator of the largest U.S. stocks/option market has been hiking its dividend every year for the last four.

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Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Inc. (NYSE: DPS) sweetened its quarterly dividend $0.07 to $0.48 a share for a 2.1% yield. The beverage behemoth also increased its stock repurchase program by $1 billion for a total $4 billion now authorized for repurchase.

Dunkin' Brands Group Inc. (Nasdaq: DNKN) fattened its quarterly dividend 20% to $0.265 a share for a yield just shy of 2%. The hike came after the donut chain said coffee and sandwich sales boosted Q4 profits.

Exponent Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPO) raised its quarterly payout a nickel to $0.30 a share for a 1.1% yield.

Fidelity National Information Services (NYSE: FIS) increased its quarterly dividend 0.5% to $0.425 a share for a 1.63% yield.

GasLog Partners LP (NYSE: GLOP) boosted its quarterly dividend 16% to $0.43 a share for a 7% yield.

General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) goosed its quarterly dividend 20% to $0.36 a share for a yield approaching 4%. The hike came after the automaker posted a 91% year-over-year earnings increase.

GlaxoSmithKline Plc. (NYSE ADR: GSK) juiced its quarterly distribution 13.4% to $0.70 a share for a 5.65% yield.

GNC Holdings Inc. (NYSE: GNC) upped its quarterly payout $0.02 to $0.18 a share for a 1.66% yield.

Harley Davidson Inc. (NYSE: HOG) hiked its quarterly dividend 13% to $0.31 a share for a near 2% yield. This is the fourth increase in as many years.

Home Properties Inc. (NYSE: HME) raised its quarterly payout 4.1% to $0.76 a share for a 4.2% yield.

Ingersoll Rand Plc. (NYSE: IR) increased its quarterly dividend $0.04 to $0.29 a share for a 1.5% yield.

Meredith Corp. (NYSE: MDP) moved its quarterly dividend up 5.8% to $0.45 a share for a 3.37% yield. Meredith has paid dividends for 68 consecutive years, increasing them for 22 years straight.

Northeast Utilities System (NYSE: NU) upped its quarterly dividend 6.4% to $0.41 a share for a near 3% yield.

Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC (NYSE: OZM) hiked its quarterly payout 135% to $0.47 a share for an 8.26% yield.

PartnerRe Ltd. (NYSE: PRE) boosted its quarterly dividend $0.03 to $0.70 a share for a 2.31% yield.

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Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) hiked its quarterly payout a nickel to $0.53 a share for a 1.43% yield. The increase represents the 20th consecutive year of dividend boosts from the powersport industry leader.

Primerica Inc. (NYSE: PRI) raised its quarterly dividend $0.04, or 33%, to $0.16 a share for a near 1% yield.

Ralph Lauren Corp. (NYSE: RL) raised its quarterly dividend a nickel to $0.50 a share for a 1.3% yield. The hike came despite a rare earnings miss and muted FY2015 outlook.

Simon Property Group Inc. (NYSE: SPG) sweetened its quarterly payout a dime to $1.40 a share for a 2.9% yield. The real estate investment trust (REIT) has been raising its dividend every year for the last five.

Sunoco LP (NYSE: SUN) increased its quarterly dividend 10% to $0.60 a share for a 4.66% yield. The boost is the seventh since the company went public in September 2012.

Twenty-First Century Fox Inc. (Nasdaq: FOX) fattened its semi-annual payout 20% to $0.15 a share for a 0.77% yield.

Union Pacific Corp. (NYSE: UNP) upped its quarterly dividend a nickel to $0.55 a share for a 1.64% yield. The railroad goliath has paid dividends on its common stock for 116 consecutive years.

United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) raised its quarterly dividend $0.05 to $0.64 a share for a 2.14% yield. The aerospace giant has paid cash dividends every year since 1936.

Western Digital Corp. (Nasdaq: WDC) hiked its quarterly dividend a dime, or 25%, to $0.50 a share for a 1.55% yield. Since 2012, the tech titan has increased its quarterly dividend three times from the original $0.25 per share.

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