12 Companies Boosting Dividends

As I mentioned in a previous article , the most satisfying press release coming
from a dividend-paying corporation is the one announcing a dividend increase.
For dividend growth investors, who have analyzed the company and purchased its
stock based on the dividend growth capabilities of that business, this provides
strong, almost instantaneous feedback in the form of a higher reward. After all,
a company that can afford to continuously raise distributions year after year
will generate rising returns on investment for investors who were shrewd enough
to select it at the right time. The consistency of dividend increases ensures
that investors can live off that income stream and attain financial
independence. Below, I have highlighted 12 cash machines that announced dividend
increases during the past week. All of the companies listed below have raised
distributions for at least five consecutive years: Brown-Forman Corporation
(NYSE: BF.B ) engages in manufacturing, bottling, importing, exporting and
marketing alcoholic beverages. The company raised its quarterly dividend by 9.4%
to 35 cents per share. This marked the 28th consecutive annual dividend increase
for this dividend champion . Yield: 1.9% ( analysis ) Sysco Corporation (NYSE:
SYY ), through its subsidiaries, engages in the marketing and distribution of a
range of food and related products primarily to the food service or
food-away-from-home industry. The company raised its quarterly dividend by 3.8%
to 36 cents per share. This marked the 10th consecutive annual dividend increase
for this dividend champion. Yield: 4% ( analysis ) National Bankshares, Inc.
(NASDAQ: NKSH ) operates as the holding company for the National Bank of
Blacksburg, a chartered national bank that provides a range of retail and
commercial banking services to individuals, businesses, nonprofits and local
governments in Virginia. The company raised its semi-annual dividend by 8.3% to
52 cents per share. This marked the 12th consecutive annual dividend increase
for this dividend achiever . The company has raised dividends two times in the
past year. Yield: 4% The Laclede Group, Inc. (NYSE: LG ), through its
subsidiaries, engages in the retail distribution, sale and marketing of natural
gas. The company raised its quarterly dividend by 2.5% to 41.5 cents per share.
This marked the ninth consecutive annual dividend increase for the stock. Yield:
4% Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE: WMB ), through its subsidiaries, engages in
finding, producing, gathering, processing and transporting natural gas primarily
in the United States. The company raised its quarterly dividend by 25% to 25
cents per share. This marked the second dividend increase this year for Williams
Companies, which has raised distributions for eight years in a row. Yield: 3.3%