Dividend Increases - May 2, 2009

Finally, the log-jam has been broken. Last week several big-name, blue-chip companies increased their dividends in meaningful way. This is the type of week Dividend Investors look for. This week's dividend increases include:

• IBM (IBM) boosts qtr dividend 10%. Yield 2.11%
  
• Cullen/Frost Bankers (CFR) increased its qtr. dividend 2% to $0.43/share. Yield 3.54% (analysis)
• Donegal Group (DGICA) raised its qtr. dividend to $0.112/share. Yield: 3.07%
• Valmont Industries (VMI) ups its qtr. dividend 15.4% to $0.15/share, Yield: 0.95%
• Bemis (BMS) boosts qtr dividend to $0.225/share. Yield: 3.72%
• Costco Wholesale (COST) increased its qtr dividend to $0.18/share. Yield: 1.50%
• BOK Financial (BOKF) raised its qtr. dividend 6.7% to $0.24/share. Yield: 2.48%
• W.W. Grainger (GWW) ups its qtr. dividend 15% to $0.46/share. Yield: 2.22%
• Talisman Energy (TLM) boosts its semi-annual dividend 12.5% to $0.1125/share. Yield: 1.47%
• ExxonMobil (XOM) increased its qtr. dividend to $0.42/share. Yield: 2.45%
• UGI Corporation (UGI) raised its qtr dividend 4% to $0.20/share. Yield: 3.35%
• Safeway (SWY) ups qtr. dividend 21% to $0.10/share. Yield: 1.56%
• Occidental (OXY) boosts qtr. dividend 3.1% to $0.33/share. Yield: 2.23%

Hopefully, this is just the beginning and in the coming weeks we will continue to see more dividend increases. For more companies with a long string of consecutive dividend increases, see this list.

Full Disclosure: No position in the aforementioned securities.

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