Kimberly-Clark raised its dividend this week.
Pavel Sytsko/Dreamstime.com
Chevron,
Kimberly Clark,
Archer-Daniels Midland,
and
Comcast
were among the large U.S. companies that announced dividend increases this week.
It was a busy week for these announcements, with the fourth-quarter earnings season in full swing.
Chevron (ticker: CVX) declared a quarterly dividend of $1.51 cents a share, up by 9 cents or about 6%. Shares of the energy giant have a one-year return of 47%, including dividends, compared with minus 5% for the
S&P 500
through the close on Jan. 26. The stock was recently yielding 3.3%.
The company also announced a new share repurchase of $75 billion, up from the previous one of $25 billion.
Several other energy companies announced dividend increases, including
Halliburton
and
Marathon Oil.
Halliburton (HAL), an energy services company, said it plans to raise its quarterly payout to 16 cents a share from 12 cents for an increase of 33%. The stock, which yields 1.6%, has a one-year return of 35%.
Marathon Oil (MRO), an oil-and-gas exploration and product company, said it will pay out a quarterly dividend of 10 cents a share, an increase of 11% from 9 cents. The stock, which has a one-year return of 48%, yields 1.2%.
Elsewhere, Kimberly Clark (KMB), a consumer products company, plans to boost its quarterly disbursement to $1.18 a share from $1.16. That’s an increase of nearly 2%. The stock yields 3.7%, and it has a one-year return that’s about flat. This marks the 51st straight year the company has increased its dividend.
Archer-Daniels Midland (ADM) boosted its quarterly payout by 12.5% to 45 cents a share from 40 cents. The agricultural company’s stock yields 2.1%, and it has a one-year return of 20%.
Comcast (CMCSA), a large media and entertainment company, said it will increase its dividend by 7.4% to $1.16 a share on an annualized basis. The quarterly dividend will move up to 29 cents a share from 27 cents.
The stock, which has a one-year return of minus 14%, yields 2.9%.
Nucor (NUE) declared a dividend of 51 cents a share, up 2% from 50 cents. This marks the 50th straight year in which the company has raised its dividend.
The stock has a one-year return of 86%, and it yields 1.2%. The company makes steel and steel products including sheets and bars.
Asset manager BlackRock (BLK) is planning to boost its quarterly dividend to $5 a share from $4.88, an increase of 2.5%. The stock, which yields 2.6%, has a one-year return of minus 2%.
Charles Schwab
(SCHW), a large financial services company, said it will raise its quarterly disbursement by 3 cents a share to 25 cents. That’s an increase of nearly 14%. The stock yields 1.1%, and it has a one-year return of minus 12%.
Norfolk Southern
(NSC) declared a quarterly dividend of $1.35 a share from $1.24 currently. That’s an increase of nearly 9%. The freight operator’s stock yields 2.1%, and it has a one-year return of minus 9%.
HCA Healthcare
(HCA) said it plans to raise its quarterly disbursement to 60 cents a share, an increase of 7% from 56 cents currently.
The company operates hospitals and other medical facilities. The stock, which yields 0.9%, has a one-year return of 7%.
S&P Global (SPGI) plans to raise its quarterly payout to 90 cents a share from 85 cents for an increase of nearly 6%. The stock, which has a one-year return of minus 7%, yields 1%.
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Write to Lawrence C. Strauss at lawrence.strauss@barrons.com
Credit: marketwatch.com