Dividend stocks update: Some 209 companies in the S&P 500 Index have raised dividends so far in 2014.
The average increase has been 15%, and with S&P components sitting on $1.1 trillion in cash, more increases are expected.
UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH) hiked its quarterly dividend 34% to $0.375 per share last week.
Here are 20 more dividend-paying stocks raising payouts in the week ending June 6.
Dividend stocks update: Some 209 companies in the S&P 500 Index have raised dividends so far in 2014.
The average increase has been 15%, and with S&P components sitting on $1.1 trillion in cash, more increases are expected.
UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH) hiked its quarterly dividend 34% to $0.375 per share last week.
Here are 20 more dividend-paying stocks raising payouts in the week ending June 6.
Dividend Aristocrats are an exceptional bunch of S&P 500 companies that don't just offer high yield – they have increased shareholders' payouts every year for (at least) the last 25 years.
Making the list is indeed an accomplishment.
Industries run the gamut from fast food to financials to oil.
We’ve narrowed the list to a more manageable dozen names across several sectors...
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.
While most companies pay dividends on a quarterly basis, monthly dividend stocks distribute their dividend payouts 12 times a year.
Investors pile into monthly dividend payers for a number of reasons. Some use them as a means of getting a steady stream of income. Some find it an efficient way to budget for expenses each month. And, some simply enjoy the frequency of getting a dividend payment 12 times a year instead of once, or every three or six months.
Companies that pay dividends consistently provide better returns than non-payers.
The current trailing 12-month average yield of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index is roughly 2%. Without dividends, the S&P 500 would have turned $10,000 into $42,000 in 20 years. But with dividends, at a modest 2.1% rate, that $10,000 would grow to $61,700 over the same time period.
Investing in dividend stocks has been popular with low interest rates, but it's still a good move as rates rise.
Here are four reasons why dividend-paying stocks will continue to boost your portfolio in 2014…
Dividend stocks have become increasingly important to investors, and companies are taking note.
Some 84% of S&P 500 Index components were paying dividends as of April 30. That's the highest month-end figure in 18 years.
What's even better is top dividend stocks tend to outperform nonpayers.
Following are 25 notable dividend-paying stocks that boosted payouts in the week ending May 9, 2014.
News about dividend stocks poured in last week, with some 85 companies increasing payouts.
But Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) stole the spotlight, sweetening its quarterly dividend 8%, or $0.24 per share, to $3.29, making it the S&P 500's biggest dividend payer.
It also added $30 billion to its stock buyback program and declared a 7-for-1 stock split.
Here are 30 other dividend stocks that also increased payouts in the week ending April 25.
Dividend stocks lost some appeal last year when investors' primary focus was on growth. But with greater emphasis now on value, dividend payers are back in fashion.
Boding well for income seekers is that annual dividends by S&P 500 companies are projected to grow 9.9% this year to a record $39.98 a share, up from $34.80 a share in 2013.
Here are 25 companies that boosted or initiated payouts for the week ending April 17.
Companies paid out a record number of dividend increases in Q1 2014, with 1,078 dividend boosts reported from January through March.
In dollar terms, Q1 2014 payout increases amounted to a whopping $17.8 billion, up 22.9% from Q1 2013's tally of $14.5 billion. But analysts predict there's much more on the way.
Dividend stocks update: Although there are several ways to build a successful portfolio, the one method that stands the test of time is investing in dividend growth stocks.
A Morgan Stanley study showed that 42% of the stock market's total returns since 1930 are thanks to dividends. In four of the past eight decades, dividends contributed more to equity returns than capital appreciation.
Dividend stocks news: The big dividend news last week came from the banking sector on the heels of the U.S. Federal Reserve's stress test.
The test is aimed at ensuring big banks can handle a steep slump like the 2008 financial crisis and continue operations without a government bailout. In total, 25 banks passed the central bank's test, while five failed.
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Dividend stocks update: Many investors are rethinking their investment strategies amid prospects of interest rate hikes, especially in the wake of last week's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting.
During the last five-plus years of a near-zero interest rate environment, dividend-paying stocks have been an attractive option for investors. But with rising rates on the horizon, high yield is becoming increasingly less important than dividend growth potential.
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Dividend stocks update: Dividend-paying stocks provide a solid means by which to generate investing income during times of rock-bottom interest rates.
But with interest rates ticking up recently, and the U.S. Federal Reserve winding down its quantitative easing program, investors may wonder whether dividend stocks will remain a good choice should interest rates continue to rise.
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Dividend stocks update: Hunting for dividend-paying stocks with the highest yield might seem like the simplest strategy for investors seeking income, but it's not the best strategy.
First, choice is limited among quality stocks - only 13 S&P 500 Index components boast yields more than 5%. Moreover, outsized yields often accompany a big drop in a stock's price.
