Recent Dividend Increases

Dividend investors would be wise to focus not just on a stock's current yield, but also on the long-term growth potential of its dividends. That's because strong businesses that consistently raise their dividend payouts reward shareholders with a steadily rising income stream that essentially equates to a raise every year. Below are some stocks which have increased their dividends recently.


American Financial Group, Inc. (AFG) - Announced that its Board of Directors has approved an increase in the Company's annual dividend from $0.78 to $0.88 per share of common stock. The increased dividend, when declared, will be paid on a quarterly basis of $0.22 per share of common stock beginning in October 2013. The new dividend rate represents a 12.8% increase over the annual rate paid thus far in 2013. The Company has increased its dividend in each of the last eight years.

Gap Inc. (GPS) - Announced that its Board of Directors intends to increase the company’s annual dividend per share from $0.60 to $0.80 beginning in the third quarter of 2013. This represents a 60 percent increase over the fiscal 2012 dividend per share of $0.50. The announcement underscores the company’s commitment to distributing excess cash to shareholders.

Altria Group, Inc. - (MO) - Announced that its Board of Directors voted to increase Altria's regular quarterly dividend by 9.1% to $0.48 per common share versus the previous rate of $0.44 per common share. The quarterly dividend is payable on October 10, 2013 to shareholders of record as of September 16, 2013. The ex-dividend date is September 12, 2013.

Main Street Capital Corp - (MAIN) - Private equity firm Main Street Capital announced today its fourth-quarter monthly dividend schedule of $0.16 per share, a 3% increase in the monthly payout to investors from the $0.155 per share paid last quarter. Main Street Capital Corporation is a business development company specializing in equity, equity related, and debt investments in small and lower middle market companies.

Medtronic - (MDT) - The board of directors of Medtronic, Inc. approved a cash dividend of $0.28 per share of the company`s common stock. The quarterly dividend represents a 7.7 percent increase over the prior year. The dividend is payable on October 25, 2013, to shareholders of record at the close of business on October 4, 2013.



Full Disclosure: I have a position in Altria Group Inc (MO). You can see a list of all my dividend growth positions here.