Bemis increases dividend for 35th consecutive year in 2018
Dividend Aristocrat Bemis Company will increase its quarterly dividend from $0.30 to $0.31 per share, marking the 35th consecutive year of dividend increases.
The cash dividend is payable on March 1, 2018, to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 20, 2018. This marks the 35(th) consecutive year that the Company has increased its dividend payment. Bemis has been paying an annual dividend on its stock since 1922 and has been included in Standard & Poor's list of Dividend Aristocrats since 2008.
“Our dividend program is an important part of our shareholders' total return on investment in Bemis Company," said William F. Austen, Bemis Company's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our annual cash dividend has increased consecutively for 35 years, demonstrating confidence in our ability to generate strong cash flow and future growth."
Last year Bemis hiked its dividend for the 34th consecutive year. The new dividend yield is 2.8%. Bemis stock has lost 8 percent year-to-date.
Bemis Company, Inc. is a major supplier of flexible and rigid plastic packaging used by leading food, consumer products, healthcare, and other companies worldwide. Founded in 1858, Bemis reported 2017 net sales from continuing operations of $4.0 billion. Bemis has a strong technical base in polymer chemistry, film extrusion, coating and laminating, printing, and converting. Headquartered in Neenah, Wisconsin, Bemis employs approximately 16,500 individuals worldwide.
