We all know what surprising the street will do to a stock’s price. The street focuses on quarterly revenue, EPS, EBIT, EBITDA and margins. The income statement is where you find all the metrics that the street loves. It therefore must be the most important financial statement. Not! That title goes to the lowly cash flow statement. Ultimately cash flow is what drives the value of any financial asset, including dividend stocks.
This week several companies provided their shareholders with a special delivery in the form of higher cash dividends:
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (AJG, Financial) and its subsidiaries provide insurance brokerage and risk management services to various commercial, industrial, institutional and governmental organizations. Jan. 23, the company increased its quarterly dividend 2.9% to $0.36 per share. The dividend is payable March 20, 2014, to stockholders of record on March 4, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 3.0%.
Old National Bancorp (ONB, Financial) operates as the bank holding company for Old National Bank, which provides financial services to individuals and commercial customers in the U.S. Jan. 23, the company increased its quarterly dividend 10% to $0.11 per share. The dividend is payable March 17, 2014 to stockholders of record on Feb. 27, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 3.0%.
CMS Energy Corporation (CMS, Financial) operates as an energy company primarily in Michigan, the U.S. Jan. 23, the company increased its quarterly dividend 5.9% to $0.27 per share. the dividend is payable Feb. 28, 2014, to stockholders of record on Feb. 7, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 4.0%.
GATX Corporation leases (GMT, Financial), operates, manages, and remarkets assets in the rail and marine markets in North America and internationally. Jan. 23, the company increased its quarterly dividend 6.5% to $0.33 per share. The dividend is payable March 31, 2014 to stockholders of record on Feb. 28, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 2.2%.
Markwest Energy Partners LPÂ (MWE, Financial) engages in the gathering, processing, and transportation of natural gas in the U.S. Jan. 23, the company increased its quarterly dividend 1.2% to $0.86 per share. the dividend is payable Feb. 14, 2014, to stockholders of record on Feb. 6, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 5.0%.
Meridian Bioscience Inc. (VIVO, Financial), a life science company, develops, manufactures, sells and distributes diagnostic test kits primarily for gastrointestinal, viral, respiratory and parasitic infectious diseases. Jan. 22, the company increased its quarterly dividend 5.3% to $0.20 per share. The dividend is payable Feb. 14, 2014, to stockholders of record on Feb. 3, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 3.1%.
Enterprise Bancorp Inc. (EBTC, Financial) operates as the holding company for Enterprise Bank and Trust Company that provides banking and other financial services. Jan. 21, the company increased its quarterly dividend 4.3% to $0.12 per share. the dividend is payable March 3, 2014, to stockholders of record on Feb. 10, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 2.3%.
Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC, Financial) engages in the rail transportation of raw materials, intermediate products, and finished goods in the U.S. Jan. 21, the company increased its quarterly dividend 3.8% to $0.54 per share. The dividend is payable March 10, 2014 to stockholders of record on Feb. 7, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 2.4%.
Bar Harbor Bankshares (BHB, Financial) operates as the holding company for Bar Harbor Bank & Trust that provides various banking products and services in Maine. Jan. 21, the company increased its quarterly dividend 1.6% to $0.325 per share. The dividend is payable March 14, 2014, to stockholders of record on Feb. 15, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 3.3%.
Compressco Partners LPÂ (GSJK, Financial) provides compression-based production enhancement services for natural gas and oil exploration and production companies. Jan. 21, the comnpany increased its quarterly dividend 1.7% to $0.4375 per share. The dividend is payable Feb. 14, 2014 to stockholders of record on Jan. 31, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 7.9%.
CenterPoint Energy Inc. (CNP, Financial) operates as a public utility holding company in the U.S. Jan. 21, the company increased its quarterly dividend 14.5% to $0.2375 per share. The dividend is payable March 10, 2014, to stockholders of record on Feb. 14, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 4.0%.
LRR Energy LPÂ (LRE, Financial) engages in the acquisition, exploitation, development and operation of oil and natural 0.5% to $0.49 per share. The dividend is payable Feb. 14, 2014, to stockholders of record on Jan. 31, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 11.1%. The yield based on the new payout is 11.0%.
Sierra Bancorp (BSRR) operates as the bank holding company for Bank of the Sierra that provides a range of retail and commercial banking services to communities in the central and southern regions of the San Joaquin Valley in California. Jan. 17, the company increased its quarterly dividend 14.3% to $0.08 per share. The dividend is payable Feb. 13, 2014, to stockholders of record on Jan. 30, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 2.0%.
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 NSC in my Dividend Growth Stocks Portfolio. See a list of all my dividend growth holdings here.
Related Posts
- 9 High-Rated Dividend Stocks With Above Target Returns
- 9 High-Yielding Utilities With A Growing Dividends
- 3 Styles Of Successful Dividend Investing
- 8 Higher-Yielding Financial Services Stocks With Rising Dividends
- 5 Quality Dividend Stocks To Take The Emotion Out Of Investing
