6 Dividend Stocks rewarding their shareholders with higher payouts

Last week was marked by more volatility which doesn’t seem to surprise anyone. Luckily this time the direction was up as the stock market had its best week since 1974, mainly fueled by the half a percentage point interest cut by the Federal Reserve as well the smaller than expected contraction in the GDP.

During those large swings up and down it is easy for investors to lose focus on the big picture and not sticking to their financial plan by converting all of their holdings to cash. Luckily there were several dividend companies that reminded their patient long-term holders that increasing dividend payments could help them out in increasing their total returns over time.

Vornado Realty (VNO) announced that its Board has approved a 5.60% increase in its quarterly dividend from $0.90 to $0.95 per common share. Vornado Realty is a dividend achiever having increased its dividends for over fifteen years. The stock currently yields 5.60%.

Home Properties (HME) announced that its Board has approved a 1.50% increase in its quarterly dividend from $0.66 to $0.67 per common share. Home Properties is a dividend achiever having increased its dividends for over one decade. The stock currently yields 7.20%.

Questar (STR) announced that its Board has approved a 2.00% increase in its quarterly dividend from $0.1225 to $0.1250 per common share. Questar is a dividend aristocrat having increased its dividends for 29 years. The stock currently yields 1.50%.

Williams Partners L.P. (WPZ) announced that its Board has approved a 15.00% increase in its quarterly distgributions from $0.55 paid in third quarter 2007 to $0.635 per unit. The partnership stock currently yields 12.10%.

Dominion Resources (D) management anticipates that in January it will recommend to the board of directors an annual dividend rate in 2009 of $1.75 per share, or a quarterly dividend rate of 43.75 cents per share. This represents nearly an 11 percent increase over the current annual dividend rate of $1.58 per share. This utility currently yields 4.40%.

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (THG) announced that its Board has approved a 12.50% increase in its annual dividend from $0.40 to $0.45 per common share. The stock currently yields 1.30%.

This dividend increases list led me to put VNO and HME on my list for further research.

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