In compiling the Dividend Champions list, I get to see which companies are nearing the anniversaries of their previous dividend increases. Since most of these firms raise their payout about the same time every year, I can say with some confidence that they are likely to do so again.
A Little More Quiet Time
Of the 36 companies listed in my June 27 article, only five announced increases, so most of them have been carried over here. Based on last year's announcements, I'm expecting the following companies to announce dividend increases between now and the anniversary of their previous increase:
Dividend Champions (25 or more years):
|
| No. | 6/30 |
| Qtrly | LY% | LY |
Company | Symbol | Yrs | Price | Yield | Rate | Inc. | Ex-Div |
Carlisle Companies | 34 | 49.23 | 1.38 | 0.1700 | 6.25 | 8/13/10 | |
Walgreen Company | 35 | 42.46 | 1.65 | 0.1750 | 27.27 | 8/17/10 | |
Dover Corp. | 55 | 67.80 | 1.62 | 0.2750 | 5.77 | 8/27/10 | |
Nordson Corp. | 47 | 54.85 | 0.77 | 0.1050 | 10.53 | 8/27/10 | |
Conn. Water Service | 41 | 25.58 | 3.64 | 0.2325 | 2.20 | 8/30/10 | |
MGE Energy Inc. | 34 | 40.53 | 3.70 | 0.3751 | 1.82 | 8/30/10 | |
Altria Group Inc. | 42 | 26.41 | 5.76 | 0.3800 | 8.57 | 9/13/10 | |
Community Trust Banc. | 30 | 27.72 | 4.40 | 0.3050 | 1.67 | 9/13/10 | |
Leggett & Platt Inc. | 39 | 24.38 | 4.43 | 0.2700 | 3.85 | 9/13/10 |
Dividend Contenders (10-24 years):
|
| No. | 6/30 |
| Qtrly | LY% | LY |
Company | Symbol | Yrs | Price | Yield | Rate | Inc. | Ex-Div |
A.O. Smith Corp. | 17 | 42.30 | 1.32 | 0.1400 | 7.69 | 7/28/10 | |
AptarGroup Inc. | 17 | 52.34 | 1.38 | 0.1800 | 20.00 | 7/28/10 | |
National Retail Properties | 21 | 24.51 | 6.20 | 0.3800 | 1.33 | 7/28/10 | |
CARBO Ceramics | 10 | 162.95 | 0.49 | 0.2000 | 11.11 | 7/30/10 | |
Inergy LP | 10 | 35.36 | 7.98 | 0.7050 | 1.44 | 8/4/10 | |
Murphy Oil Corp. | 15 | 65.66 | 1.68 | 0.2750 | 10.00 | 8/12/10 | |
Alterra Capital Holdings | 10 | 22.30 | 2.15 | 0.1200 | 20.00 | 8/13/10 | |
Badger Meter Inc. | 18 | 36.99 | 1.51 | 0.1400 | 16.67 | 8/27/10 | |
Chesapeake Financial | CPKF | 18 | 12.50 | 3.52 | 0.1100 | 4.76 | 8/30/10 |
Harleysville Group | 24 | 31.17 | 4.62 | 0.3600 | 10.77 | 9/13/10 | |
First Capital Inc. | 10 | 17.90 | 4.25 | 0.1900 | 5.56 | 9/14/10 | |
Vector Group Ltd. | 13 | 17.79 | 8.99 | 0.4000 | 5.00 | 9/14/10 |
Dividend Challengers (5-9 years):
|
| No. | 6/30 |
| Qtrly | LY% | LY |
Company | Symbol | Yrs | Price | Yield | Rate | Inc. | Ex-Div |
Landstar System Inc. | 6 | 46.48 | 0.43 | 0.0500 | 11.11 | 8/5/10 | |
Lindsay Corp. | 8 | 68.80 | 0.49 | 0.0850 | 6.25 | 8/13/10 | |
Maxim Integrated Prod. | 9 | 25.56 | 3.29 | 0.2100 | 5.00 | 8/18/10 | |
Ritchie Brothers Auction. | 8 | 27.49 | 1.53 | 0.1050 | 5.00 | 8/18/10 | |
Cummins Inc. | 5 | 103.49 | 1.01 | 0.2625 | 50.00 | 8/19/10 | |
Ryder System | 6 | 56.85 | 1.90 | 0.2700 | 8.00 | 8/19/10 | |
Steris Corp. | 6 | 34.98 | 1.72 | 0.1500 | 36.36 | 8/20/10 | |
Crane Company | 6 | 49.41 | 1.86 | 0.2300 | 15.00 | 8/27/10 | |
Delta Natural Gas | 6 | 31.65 | 4.30 | 0.3400 | 4.62 | 8/27/10 | |
ITC Holdings Corp. | 6 | 71.77 | 1.87 | 0.3350 | 4.69 | 8/30/10 | |
Westlake Chemical Corp. | 7 | 51.90 | 0.49 | 0.0635 | 10.43 | 8/30/10 | |
Bob Evans Farms | 5 | 34.97 | 2.29 | 0.2000 | 11.11 | 9/3/10 | |
Harris Corp. | 9 | 45.06 | 2.22 | 0.2500 | 13.64 | 9/6/10 | |
BHP Billiton Ltd. | 8 | 94.63 | 1.84 | 0.8700 | 6.10 | 9/8/10 | |
BHP Billiton plc | 8 | 78.43 | 2.22 | 0.8700 | 6.10 | 9/8/10 | |
Shire plc | SHPGY | 7 | 94.21 | 0.37 | 0.1730 | 16.50 | 9/8/10 |
Atrion Corp. | 8 | 197.80 | 0.85 | 0.4200 | 16.67 | 9/13/10 | |
China Mobile Limited | 5 | 46.78 | 3.95 | 0.9250 | 4.28 | 9/13/10 | |
G&K Services Inc. | GKSR | 5 | 33.86 | 1.12 | 0.0950 | 26.67 | 9/14/10 |
Alliance Financial Corp. | 5 | 30.53 | 3.93 | 0.3000 | 7.14 | 9/15/10 |
In addition, I anticipate that five companies in the Appendix (on the Note tab) will boost their dividends during this period, marking their fifth straight year of increases and promoting them to Challenger status:
Company | Symbol | Ex-Div |
Enbridge Energy Partners | 8/3/10 | |
Altera Corp. | 8/6/10 | |
Kaydon Corp. | 9/9/10 | |
Broadridge Financial | 9/13/10 | |
Frisch's Restaurants Inc. | 9/16/10 |
Also, in late July or early August, about two dozen MLPs (Master Limited Partnerships) are likely to increase their payouts, which they tend to do each quarter.
Not all of the above companies will meet the strict standards of every investor, but they may be appropriate for portfolio diversification. Potential investors should do more research before committing funds.
