Dividend Track Records

Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) will raise its dividend by 8.9 percent to $0.49 per share in 2021. This comes after a 9.8 percent hike to $0.45 quarterly announced by the pharmaceutical company last year. This is the second biggest dividend increase by BMY since 2008. The pharmaceutical company completed the acquisition of biotech company Celgene last year and has now raised its dividend for 13 consecutive years. The next quarterly dividend will be payable on February 1, 2021 to stockholders of record at the close of business on January 4, 2021. A new indicated annual dividend rate of $1.96 per share yields 3.1% at a stock price of $63.12. Bristol-Myers Squibb now pays an estimated $4.4 billion in dividends to shareholders annually. Dividend growth has been picking up in the last two years, lifting the five year average annualized dividend growth rate to 5.2 percent if we include the 2020 dividend hike just announced. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company is is a global specialty biopharmaceutical c...

Global biopharmaceutical company Pfizer (PFE) will raise its quarterly dividend by 2.6 percent to 39 cents per share quarterly. This follows a 5.6 percent dividendhike to $0.38 per share announced in the first quarter of 2020. This marks the 11th consecutive year of dividend increases by PFE. The next dividend is payable March 5, 2021 to holders of the Common Stock of record at the close of business on January 29, 2021. A new annual dividend rate of $1.56 per share yields 4.1% at a stock price of $37.68. The first-quarter 2021 cash dividend will be the 329th consecutive quarterly dividend paid by Pfizer. The transaction to combine Upjohn with Mylan to form Viatris Inc. closed on November 16, 2020. It is expected that Viatris will begin paying a quarterly dividend in the second quarter of 2021, at which time Pfizer’s quarterly dividend will be reduced such that the combined dividend dollar amount received by Pfizer shareholders, based upon the combination of continued Pfizer ownersh...

Balchem Corporation (BCPC) will raise its annual dividend by 11.5 percent to 58 cents per share. This follows a 10.6 percent hike to $0.52 per share announced by Balchem in 2019. This marks the 11th consecutive year of annual dividend increases by the food processing and specialty products company. The next dividend is payable on January 22, 2021 to stockholders of record at the close of business on December 28, 2020. The new annual rate of 56 cents yields 0.5% at a stock price of $113.66. Ted Harris, Balchem’s CEO and President, said, “Balchem has a long-standing commitment to an annual dividend and we are pleased to announce the continuation of that commitment. This dividend represents the eleventh consecutive increase in our annual dividend, reflecting both the consistently outstanding financial performance the company has delivered and the Board’s continued confidence in our long-term strategies.” Balchem Corporation reports four business segments: Human Nutrition & Health; Ani...

Alexander & Baldwin (ALEX) will reinstate its quarterly dividend with a payment of $0.15 per share. The dividend is payable on January 12, 2021 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 28, 2020. Chris Benjamin, A&B president & chief executive officer stated: "We are pleased to reinstate our quarterly dividend starting in the fourth quarter 2020. This decision reflects our Board's confidence in our high-quality portfolio, including improving collections and occupancy, as well as the health of the economy in Hawai'i and prospects for continued improvement in 2021."   Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. is Hawai`i's premier commercial real estate company and the state's foremost owner of grocery-anchored retail centers. A&B is a fully integrated real estate investment trust and owns, operates and manages primarily retail and industrial space in Hawai`i, and is a major landowner in the state. A&B also is Hawai`i's largest...

Dividend Aristocrat Pentair PLC (PNR) has announced a 5 percent dividend hike to 21 cents quarterly per share. Last year PNR raised its quarterly dividend by 5.3 percent to $0.20 per share. This new hike just announced will mark the 46th consecutive year that Pentair has increased its dividend, if adjusted for the separation of nVent Electric (NVT). The next PNR dividend will be paid on February 4, 2021 to shareholders of record at the close of business on January 21, 2022. A new annualized dividend rate of 84 cents per share yields 1.1% at a stock price of $74. Pentair now pays shareholders an estimated $139 million in dividends annually. The company has a great dividend history but PNR dividend growth has been slowing since 2015 with a 5.6 percent hike in 2019 being the biggest increase in the last couple of years. Pentair plc is engaged in Water Quality Systems business and Flow and Filtration Solutions business. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services water system ...

Amgen (AMGN) will raise its quarterly dividend by 10.0 percent to $1.76 per share in 2021. This follows a 10.3 percent hike to $1.60 per share announced by Amgen in December 2019. The biotechnology company has now raised its dividend nine consecutive years. Amgen's next dividend will be paid on March 8, 2021, to all stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 15, 2021. A new annualized dividend rate of $7.04 per share yields 3.1% at a stock price of $228. Since Amgen initiated a dividend in 2011, it has increased the dividend each year with the quarterly payout in 2019 up more than five-fold since its inception. Amgen currently pays an estimated $4.1 billion in dividends annually. The average dividend growth rate in the last five years is exactly 12 percent annually. Amgen Inc. is a biotechnology company offering products for the treatment of illness in the areas of oncology/hematology, cardiovascular, inflammation, bone health, nephrology, and neuroscience.  Amg...

Dividend Aristocrat Abbott Laboratories (ABT) will raise its quarterly dividend by 25% to $0.45 per share in the first quarter of 2021. This is by far the biggest increase announced by the company since it separated from fellow Aristocrat AbbVie (ABBV).

American Financial Group, Inc. (AFG) will pay a special dividend of $2.00 per share. Earlier this year the company raised its quarterly dividend by 11.1 percent to 50 cents per share. Last year the insurance holding company paid a special cash dividend of $1.80 per share in the fourth quarter of 2019, following a $1.50 per share special dividend paid earlier in 2019. The regular dividend was also hiked by 12.5 percent to 45 cents per share quarterly in 2019. The dividend is payable on December 29, 2020 to holders of record on December 21, 2020. A regular annualized dividend rate of $2.00 per share yields 2.3% at a stock price of $88. This special dividend is in addition to the Company’s regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.50 per share that was last paid on October 26, 2020. In the press release dated December 10, 2020, announcing this special dividend, AFG Co-CEOs Carl H. Lindner III and S. Craig Lindner stated: “Returning excess capital to shareholders in the form of this $2.00 ...

Eastman Chemical (EMN) will raise its quarterly dividend by 4.5 percent to 69 cents. This follows a 6.5 percent hike to $0.66 per share announced in 2019. This also marks the 11th consecutive year of dividend increases by the materials and specialty additives company. The next dividend is payable January 8, 2021, to stockholders of record as of December 15, 2020. A new annualized dividend rate of $2.76 per share yields 2.7% at a stock price of $102. “I am pleased that for the 11th consecutive year, Eastman is increasing the dividend as part of our ongoing commitment to return cash to our stockholders,” said Willie McLain, senior vice president and chief financial officer. “This action reflects the Board’s confidence in our ability to deliver earnings growth and continue our record of generating strong cash flow, which has remained resilient even during the global pandemic.” Eastman Chemical Company (Eastman) is a global advanced materials and specialty additives company. The company...

Ecolab (ECL) will raise its quarterly dividend by 2.1 percent to 48 cents per share in 2020. This follows a dividend hike of 2.2 percent to $0.47 per share announced by the Dividend Aristocrat in 2019. Ecolab has now raised its dividend 35 consecutive years. The next dividend will be paid January 15, 2021, to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 15, 2020. A new annual rate of $1.92 per share yields 0.9% at a stock price of $223. Commenting on the increase, Douglas M. Baker, Jr., Ecolab’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer said, “While 2020 has been a challenging year due to the global impact of COVID-19 on our markets and business, our mission to make the world cleaner, safer and healthier is even more important than ever. We remain confident that Ecolab’s business is well-positioned for strong growth in the years ahead. This cash dividend increase reflects that confidence as well as our solid financial position, excellent cash flow and commitment to shareholde...

SL Green Realty (SLG) will raise its monthly dividend by 2.8 percent to $0.3033 per share in 2020. Also a special dividend payment of almost $1.70 per share was announced. This follows a 4.1 percent hike to $0.885 per share in the first quarter of 2020. This will mark the 10th consecutive year of dividend increases by New York City’s largest office landlord. The next ordinary dividend of $0.3033 per share is payable on January 15, 2021 to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 15, 2020 A new annual rate of $3.64 per share yields 5.7% a a stock price of $63.90. The Company also announced that, as a result of asset dispositions in 2020, including the previously announced sale of 410 Tenth Avenue, the board of directors declared a special dividend with a value of $1.6967 per share, which is payable on January 15, 2021 to shareholders of record on the Record Date. Shareholders will, therefore, receive a total dividend of $2.00 per share, representing the sum of the...

The Toro Company (TTC) will raise its quarterly dividend by 5.0 percent to $0.2625 per share in 2020. This comes after a 11.1 percent dividend hike to $0.25 per share announced in 2019. This will also mark the company's 12th consecutive year of annual dividend increases. The next dividend is payable on January 13, 2021, to shareholders of record on December 22, 2020. A new annualized dividend rate of $1.05 per share yields 1.2% at a stock price of $89.34 for Toro. The Toro Company will now pay an estimated $113 million in dividends to its shareholders annually. The year 2020 is the first time in more than a decade that Toro does not hike its dividend by double digits. The Toro Company is a provider of solutions for the outdoor environment including turf and landscape maintenance, snow and ice management, underground utility construction, rental and specialty construction, and irrigation and outdoor lighting solutions. Toro's products help customers care for golf courses, sports...

Universal Health Realty Income Trust (UHT) will raise its quarterly dividend by another 0.7 percent to $0.695 per share. This is the second dividend hike announced in 2020 and marks 33 consecutive years of dividend increases by the health care REIT. The next dividend will be paid on December 31, 2020 to shareholders of record as of December 17, 2020. A new annual rate of $2.76 per share yields 4.3% at a stock price of $64.26. Last year the real estate investment trust hiked its dividend by a total of 1.5 percent, marking 32 consecutive years of dividend increases. The total dividend increase announced in 2020 is 1.5 percent, matching last year's dividend hike. Universal Health Realty Income Trust, a real estate investment trust, invests in healthcare and human service related facilities including acute care hospitals, behavioral healthcare facilities, rehabilitation hospitals, sub-acute care facilities, surgery centers, childcare centers and medical office buildings.

Stryker Corp (SYK) will raise its quarterly dividend by 9.6 percent to 63 cents per share in 2020. This comes after a 10.6 percent to $0.575 per share in 2019. The medical technology company has now increased its dividend for 25 straight years. The next dividend is payable January 29, 2021 to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 31, 2020. A new annualized dividend rate of  $2.52 per share yields 1.1% at a stock price of $234.78. From the company's press release dated December 2, announcing this new dividend hike: “We continue to drive solid financial results in a challenging environment, and consistent with our stated capital allocation philosophy, are raising our dividend 9.6%," said Kevin Lobo, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.  Stryker Corporation has raised its dividend 25 consecutive years and is a candidate to be added to the S&P500 Dividend Aristocrats. This year new Dividend Aristocrat Ross Stores was deleted from the index following a di...

WEC Energy Group (WEC) will raise its quarterly dividend by 7.1 percent to 67.75 cents per share in 2021. This follows a dividend hike of 7.2 percent to $0.6325 per share in the first quarter of 2020 and will mark the 18th consecutive year of annual dividend increases by the utility company. In the press release dated December 3, 2020, announcing this increase, the company's directors expect to declare the new dividend at their regularly scheduled meeting in January. The dividend — which would be equivalent to an annual rate of $2.71 per share — would be payable March 1, 2021, to stockholders of record on Feb.14, 2021. "The board's review today is consistent with our ongoing plan that targets a dividend payout ratio of 65 to 70 percent of earnings," said Gale Klappa, executive chairman. The projected dividend growth for 2021 is in line with the company's longer-term objective to grow earnings per share at a rate of 5 to 7 percent annually. A new annualized dividen...

Global Water Resources (GWRS) will raise its monthly dividend by 0.8 percent to 2.43 cents per share. Last year the utility hiked its montyly dividend by 1.0 percent to $0.0241 per share.  GWRS will pay the next monthly cash dividends of $0.0243 per common share on December 30, 2020 to holders of record on December 16, 2020. A new annual rate of approximately 29 cents yields 2.3% at a stock price of $13.14. Global Water Resources is a comprehensive water resource management company based in Phoenix, Arizona. It manages the entire water cycle by owning and operating water, wastewater and recycled water utilities.