Another aristocrat raising distributions

With the market up strongly year to date after hitting a multiyear bottom in March, it is hard for investors to get excited about current dividend yields of 3%-4%. It is even harder to convince an investor that a 3% yielder which manages to raise distributions by 10% annually over the next 7 years would lead to a yield on cost which is twice the current yield right now. Just a few months ago however, most investors realized that dividend income is always positive, even in a bear, after stocks tumbled over 50% off their all time highs that were hit in 2007. It is a great to achieve at least some return on investment, even when it feels that the whole world is tearing apart. Companies which maintain and even increase dividends show their confidence in their ability to generate enough in future earnings in order to cover the dividend raises. An especially bullish sign is when a company which has rewarded shareholders with a dividend raise for 37 consecutive years, raises dividends.

Several companies raised their distributions last week:

PPG Industries (PPG), which manufactures and supplies protective and decorative coatings, increased its quarterly dividend by 1.9% to 54 cents per share. PPG Industries is a dividend aristocrat, which has raised distributions for 38 consecutive years in a row. The stock currently yields 3.40%.

Duncan Energy Partners L.P. (DEP), which engages in gathering, transporting, marketing, and storing natural gas, as well as in transporting and storing natural gas liquids (NGLs) and petrochemicals in the United States, increased its quarterly dividend by 4.8% to 44 cents per unit. Duncan Energy Partners L.P. has raised distributions since 2007. The units currently yield 8.20%.

Enterprise GP Holdings L.P., (EPD), a midstream energy company, which provides services to producers and consumers of natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGL), crude oil, and petrochemicals in the continental United States, Canada, and Gulf of Mexico, raised its quarterly distributions to 51.5 cents/unit. This distribution represents a 13.2 percent increase from the $0.455 per unit distribution declared with respect to the third quarter of 2008. Enterprise GP Holdings L.P., is a dividend achiever, which has raised distributions since 2000. This MLP currently yields 7.40%.

Goodrich Corporation (GR), which engages in the supply of aerospace components, systems, and services worldwide, increased its quarterly dividend by 8% to 27 cents per share. Goodrich Corporation has only raised distributions since 2007. The stock currently yields 1.90%.

Full Disclosure: None

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