4 Companies Increasing Dividends

The action in the equity markets has been fast and furious during the past
week, with stocks plunging in the days leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday.
However, better-than-anticipated retail sales on Black Friday, as well as
positive developments on the European bailout front, sent stocks soaring in
Monday trading. The souped-up action in stocks was countered by the light news
on the dividend front, as only a handful of companies announced they were
increasing dividends last week. Still, we did see a couple of high-profile names
giving thanks to shareholders, so let's take a look at the four companies that
made it onto our Companies Increasing Dividends list this week: Medical device
maker Becton, Dickinson and Co. (NYSE: BDX ) took the temperature of
shareholders and decided they needed an increased dose of dividends. The company
declared a quarterly dividend of 45 cents per share an increase of four cents
per share, or about 10% from the previous quarter. The new payout will be made
on Dec. 30 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 12. The new dividend yield,
based on the Nov. 22 closing price of $72.12 (the day the dividend was
announced), is 2.5%. The dividend marks the 40th consecutive year in which
Becton, Dickinson and Co. has increased its payout to shareholders.
Consumer-branded food and meat products maker Hormel Foods (NYSE: HRL ), which
counts Spam among its famous brands, canned up a tasty dividend to shareholders
by raising its payout to 15 cents per share from 12.75 cents. The new dividend
will be opened up on Feb. 15 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 23. The new
dividend yield, based on the Nov. 22 closing price of $28.82, is 2.08%. The
dividend increase was the 334th consecutive quarterly dividend paid by Hormel
Foods. The increased payout came along with fiscal fourth-quarter profit that
fell 3% as sales at its grocery products segment declined. Food flavoring and
spice maker McCormick & Company, Inc. (NYSE: MKC ) spiced up its quarterly
dividend by three cents per share to 31 cents. The enhanced payout will be
sprinkled on shareholders' plates on Jan. 13, provided investors take a seat
at the ownership table by Dec. 30. The new dividend yield, based on the Nov. 22
closing price of $47.31, is 2.62%. McCormick has increased its dividend 26 times
since 1925. In September, the company reported third-quarter earnings that beat
Wall Street estimates. Utility firm York Water (NASDAQ: YORW ), the oldest
investor-owned utility in the nation, continues to open the dividend spigot to
shareholders. York increased its quarterly payout by 2% to 13.36 cents per share
from 13.1 cents. The new dividend is payable Jan. 17 to shareholders of record
as of Dec. 31. The new dividend yield, based on the Nov. 22 closing price of
$16.80, is 3.15%. The pumped-up payout is the 564th consecutive dividend paid by
York Water, and it also marks the 15th consecutive year the company has
increased its dividend. As of this writing, Jim Woods did not hold a position in
any of the aforementioned stocks. For more payout winners, see previous weeks
lists of Companies Increasing Dividends .