Dividend and Distribution Hikes - 2010

[scomac]

IMHO this is poor investor relations. Has anyone else noticed this trend and become annoyed with it?

Or it's just good salesmanship.

AS long as we know how they're going to play the game, we can adjust. It will just mean that we need to check a little closer as to whether the increase is year-over-year versus quarter-over-quarter.

And yes...I've noticed this new trend. I slipped up on Metro last year.

[Pickles]

IMHO this is poor investor relations. Has anyone else noticed this trend and become annoyed with it?

Or it's just good salesmanship.

AS long as we know how they're going to play the game, we can adjust. It will just mean that we need to check a little closer as to whether the increase is year-over-year versus quarter-over-quarter.

And yes...I've noticed this new trend. I slipped up on Metro last year.

I record the new dividend in my spreadsheet as soon as it's announced. Then, when it's announced again, I check to see if the number has changed or not. I learned this from tracking the Ontario Ministry of Housing's announcements of new non-profit housing starts....

[2 yen]

I fell for it, too, when reading through the report.....duhhhhh

[2 yen]

And this today!

http://www.financialpost.com/news-secto ... id=2516921

[Taggart]

Calian Technologies says Q1 profits up slightly to $3.4 million; dividend rises

Calian said it will also increase its quarterly dividend by about 17 per cent to 20 cents per share, from 17 cents each, payable March 3.

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Disclosure: I own shares in Calian (CTY).

[JaydoubleU]

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has increased the Q4 dividend by 6% from 17p to 18p/share.

That works out to about 0.61 CAD per ADR.

The total annual dividend is up 7% from 57p to 61p/share or about 2.07 CAD per ADR.

[investor99]

Consumer products firm Colgate Palmolive (CL) has hiked it's dividend by 20%, citing a positive outlook. They have doubled their dividend since 2004.

Global shipping firm UPS (UPS) has raised it's dividend by 4.4%. That is their first raise since the end of 2007. UPS expects to earn $2.70 - $3.05 for 2010. The shares are currently trading at 20x these 2010 earnings, which seems like a rich valuation to me.

[Taggart]

Special Dividend

2/5/2010

McGraw-Hill Ryerson Q4 Profit Rises; Declares Q4 Dividend And Special Dividend

In a separate press release, the company declared a quarterly dividend of 25.5 cents per common share on March 11, 2010, to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 18, 2010.

McGraw-Hill Ryerson is also announcing an additional one-time dividend of $2.50 per common share, declared payable on March 11, 2010, to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 18, 2010.

[Peculiar_Investor]

Xstrata resumes pay-out after 19 months

Xstrata shareholders will receive a final dividend for 2009 of 8 cents per share on May 14. The distribution will be the first since October 2008 as Xstrata did not to pay a final dividend for 2008, nor an interim dividend for 2009.

[Taggart]

Interesting company, but very low trading volume.

Pacific Northern Gas Raises Quarterly Dividend 12 Percent on Strength of 13 Percent Gain in Q4 2009 Earnings Per Share

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Feb 08, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Pacific Northern Gas Ltd. (CA:PNG) announced today that the Board of Directors increased the first quarter 2010 dividend on common shares by 12 percent to $0.28 per share, up from $0.25 per share in the fourth quarter of 2009.

[JaydoubleU]

3M (MMM) raised the quarterly dividend 3% to 52.5 cents a share. The dividend is payable March 12 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 19.

[Zephyr]

Hasbro increased its dividend from .20 to .25, a 25% increase.

[ThinkDividends]

Brookfield Renewable Power Fund Reports Record Fourth Quarter Results and Monthly distribution increases 4% to 10.83 cents per unit, or $1.30 annually.

"Over the last several years, the Fund has worked successfully to offset the tax impact of the SIFT rules," added Mr. Legault. "We now look forward to resuming our distribution growth, beginning with today's announcement of a four percent increase, or five cents per unit per year. This increase will take effect with our February distribution payable in March 2010. The Fund is in an enviable position, with a world-class operating platform, an attractive and growing renewable power market, and the financial strength to carry out its long-term strategy."

[JaydoubleU]

Sanofi-aventis (SNY) has raised the dividend from 2.2 to 2.4 euros/shares, payable May 25. This was yesterday, actually.

[JaydoubleU]

We're on a roll here . . .

Diageo (DEO) has raised the interim dividend by 5% to 14.6p per share, payable April 12 to holders of the ADRs.

I think I'll have a scotch

[2 yen]

Jay...if it's as miserable outside where you are as it is here in Kansai, you better have a double! Cheers.
You are on a roll with the dividend hikes. Congrats!

[kjmcrae]

Shoppers Drug Mart Corporation announces fourth quarter and full year results

...dividend of 22.5 cents per common share, payable April 15, 2010 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 31, 2010. This represents an increase in the Company's quarterly dividend payments of approximately 5%, resulting in an annualized dividend of 90 cents per common share.

[Pickles]

I wish I could get excited about Shoppers and its measly dividend increase.

I sold SC at a loss last December,and could buy it back today for a discount of $1.35 and get that dividend increase but I can't summon up the motivation. I think it's overpriced. Aside from a brief rally in the summer, it's gone nowhere in the past year. I'm not enamored of its makeover as a high end cosmetic pusher and would rather see the management share profits with the shareholders.

[Michael D]

I wish I could get excited about Shoppers and its measly dividend increase.

I sold SC at a loss last December,and could buy it back today for a discount of $1.35 and get that dividend increase but I can't summon up the motivation. I think it's overpriced. Aside from a brief rally in the summer, it's gone nowhere in the past year. I'm not enamored of its makeover as a high end cosmetic pusher and would rather see the management share profits with the shareholders.

I reduced my holdings last fall, and will continue to hold if the dividend growth is maintained.

[investor99]

They've tagged themselves as a 5% earnings growth company in the press release

Nice that they increased their dividend but 'in line with earnings growth giving them an industry leading pay out ratio'...where is the confidence of a quickly growing chain in the sweet spot of demographic trends which affords a P/E of higher than 15x

[Sensei]

I missed this one on my own stock. Microchip Technology (MCHP) raised their quarterly dividend slightly from .34 to .341. Since 2002 they have been very aggressive in raising the dividend. EPS does not seem to support the raise this time. Here is there take, however:

CHANDLER, Ariz. (Business Wire) -- Microchip Technology Incorporated (NASDAQ: MCHP), a leading provider of microcontroller and analog semiconductors, today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend on its common stock of 34.1 cents per share. The dividend is payable on March 4, 2010 to stockholders of record on February 18, 2010. Microchip initiated quarterly cash dividend payments in the third quarter of fiscal year 2003, and has increased the dividend 24 times since then.

“Microchip continues to demonstrate strong cash flow characteristics in its business, growing its total cash and investment position to $1.5 billion at December 31, 2009,” said Steve Sanghi, President and CEO. “Microchip's Board of Directors authorized an increase in the quarterly dividend to 34.1 cents per share, which exemplifies their ongoing commitment to returning value to shareholders.”

[Peculiar_Investor]

I missed this one on my own stock. Microchip Technology (MCHP) raised their quarterly dividend slightly from .34 to .341.

That is a MicroDividendIncrease Have all 24 dividend increases been of the same size?

[Sensei]

That is a MicroDividendIncrease

Ha, ha, ha! Good one there PI. Come to think of it, it is pretty small. OTOH...

Have all 24 dividend increases been of the same size?

No. In FY 2002 they introduced a .04 dividend. The high price for the stock was just over $33 and the low $15.
Increase as follows:
FY 2003 = .04
FY 2004 = .11
FY 2005 = .21
FY 2006 = .57
FY 2007 = .97
FY 2008 = 1.21
Current = 1.36

Therefore, while the latest dividend increase is insignificant in monetary terms, it is significant in its underlying meaning. The company is signalling it intends to continue paying the dividend and raising if possible even at the bottom of a cycle. Also, S&P's target price is $33 suggesting a one year total return of 5% dividend plus 25% capital gain = 30%. It's a Dhandho investment if ever there was one. Heads I win, tails, I don't lose much.

[Shakespeare]

The [Emera] Board of Directors is pleased to announce that it has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.2825 per share, an increase of $0.01, payable on or after May 17th to common shareholders of record at the close of business on May 3rd, 2010. This qualifies as an eligible dividend under the applicable legislation. This results in an annualized rate of $1.13, an increase from $1.09 per share.

[FinEcon]

not new news but North West Company Fund Announces Amount of Special Distribution

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/north- ... _news_stmp