The best and worst Dividend Aristocrats of 2015
The biggest gainer in 2015 was Hormel Foods. The biggest loser was Franklin Resources.
Only Chevron didn't raise its dividend in 2015.
The year 2015 wasn't that great for the Dividend Aristocrats, with an average loss of 1.2%. With dividends included there is just a little gain. In 2014 the average gain for a Dividend Aristocrat was 13%.
No less than 16 stocks lost more than 10% last year, led by Franklin Resources (BEN). Despite a 20% dividend hike in 2015 the investment firm ended 2015 with a 33.5% loss.
Other underperformers in 2015 are Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM, -29,5%), Wal-Mart Stores (WMT, -28,6%), Pentair (PNR, -25,4%) and Emerson Electric (EMR, -22,5%).
HORMEL FOODS BEST DIVIDEND ARISTOCRAT IN 2015
Food maker Hormel (HRL) was the best performing Dividend Aristocrat with a 51.8% stock price gain, dividends excluded. There were 16 stocks gaining 10% or more in 2015.
Hormel Foods did raise its dividend by 20% in 2015, and ended the year with an estimated dividend yield of 1.5% based on a closing price of $79.08. Hormel has increased its dividend for 50 consecutive years right now.
Other outperforming Dividend Aristocrats in 2015 are insurer Chubb (CHB, +28.2%), restaurant chain McDonald's (MCD, +26.1%), cleaning products maker Clorox (CLX, +21.7%) and uniform maker Cintas (CTAS, +16.1%).
NO DIVIDEND INCREASE FOR CHEVRON
Out of the 52 Dividend Aristocrats 50 raised their dividend in 2015. Two stocks didn't announce a higher dividend in 2015, being industrial 3M and oil major Chevron.
3M will probably announce its annual dividend hike in the first quarter, continuing its 58 year track record of higher annual dividends. Chevron will have to raise its dividend in 2016 to keep it's record of 28 years of higher dividends.
The biggest dividend increase in 2015 came from Medtronic (MDT, +24.6%), followed by Cintas, Sherwin-Williams, Lowe's and Franklin Resources with 20%+ dividend hikes last year.
Apart from 3M and Chevron the slowest dividend growth came from Nucor (NUO), with a 0.7% dividend increase in 2015. Other companies with weak dividend growth are Emerson Electric (+1.1%), Wal-Mart (+2.1%), AT&T (2.1%) and Procter & Gamble (+3.0%).
Dover Corporation (DOV) has raised its dividend for the most consecutive years. The industrial company raise its dividend by 5% in 2015, marking 60 years of consecutive dividend increases. Runners up are Genuine Parts (GPC), Procter & Gamble and Emerson Electric, with a track record of 59 years.
Below you can check out the top-5 stats for the Dividend Aristocrats based on the closing prices of December 31st 2015.
TOP-5 DIVIDEND TRACK RECORDS
1. Dover (60 years)
2. Genuine Parts Co (59 years)
3. Procter & Gamble (59 years)
4. Emerson Electric (59 years)
5. 3M (58 years).
TOP-5 DIVIDEND YIELDS
1. HCP (5.9%)
2. AT&T (5.6%)
3. Chevron (4.8%)
4. Consolidated Edison (4.0%)
5. Exxon Mobil (4.0%)
TOP-5 DIVIDEND INCREASES
1. Medtronic (+24.6%)
2. Cintas Corp (+23.5%)
3. Sherwin-Williams (+21.8%)
4. Lowe's Cos (+21.7%)
5. Franklin Resources (+20%)
