Eight Dividend Increases in the news

The market continued going higher, despite all concerns about valuations, unemployment and the recession. Most analysts are divided on whether the 6 month advance is over or not. Dividend investors on the other hand however are not so concerned about the overall state of the market, as long as dividends are being paid indeed. The main problem with a rising market however is that it leaves fewer attractively valued stocks to enter or reinvest dividends. If you find the right dividend growth stocks however, which tend to raise distributions every year or so, one does not need to rely on dividend reinvestment for growth in their passive income.

Several such prominent dividend players announced that their boards of directors have approved distribution raises for stockholders.

Realty Income Corporation (O), which engages in the acquisition and ownership of commercial retail real estate properties in the United States, increased its monthly dividend to $0.1426875 per share from $0.142375 per share. Realty Income Corporation is a dividend achiever, which has increased its quarterly dividend in each of the past fifteen years. The stock currently yields 6.20%.

Tom A. Lewis, Chief Executive Officer of Realty Income commented, "We are pleased that, despite challenging economic conditions, our operations allow us to once again increase the amount of the dividend we pay to our shareholders. With the payment of the October dividend we will have made 471 consecutive monthly dividend payments."

Philip Morris International (PM), which manufactures and sells cigarettes and other tobacco products in markets outside of the United States of America, increased its quarterly dividend by 7.4% to 58 cents per share. Philip Morris International was spun out of Altria Group (MO) in 2008. Since then the company has raised distributions twice. The stock currently yields 4.90%.

Texas Instruments Incorporated (TXN), which engages in the design and sale of semiconductors to electronics designers and manufacturers worldwide, increased its quarterly dividend by 9% to 12 cents per share. The stock currently yields 1.80%.

W. P. Carey & Co. LLC (WPC), which provides long-term net lease financing for companies, increased its quarterly distributions by 8% to 50 cents per share. This marks the 34th consecutive distribution increase for this dividend achiever. The stock currently yields 7.00%.

The Kroger Co. (KR), which operates as a food retailer in the United States, increased its quarterly dividend by 5.6% to 9.5 cents per share. Kroger began raising dividends in 2006. The stock currently yields 1.70%.

Corporate Office Properties Trust (OFC), which is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that engages in the acquisition, development, ownership, management, and leasing of suburban office properties., increased its quarterly dividend by 5.4% to 39.25 cents per share. Corporate Office Properties Trust is a dividend achiever, which has increased its quarterly dividend in each of the past thirteen years, which it has more than doubled since 2004. The stock currently yields 4.10%.

Agree Realty Corporation (ADC), which is a real estate investment trust (REIT), that engages in the ownership, development, acquisition, and management of retail properties, which are primarily leased to national and regional retail companies in the United States, increased its quarterly dividend by 2% to 51 cents per share. Agree Realty Corporation does not have a consistent history of dividend increases, although it hasn’t cut distributions either since 1994. The stock currently yields 9.30%.

Full Disclosure: Long PM, MO and O

Relevant Articles:

- Altria Group's 6% Dividend Hike
- Dividend Reinvestment is important
- Reinvest Dividends Selectively
- Philip Morris International versus Altria