After taking a hiatus last week, the four Dividend Aristocrats announced a dividend increase or regular dividend payout.

Procter & Gamble, maker of Bounty paper towels, increased their dividend payout by 7% this year.
Photo courtesy SwitchYard Media via Flickr.

Investors in The Procter & Gamble Company (PG) announced their 57^th consecutive annual dividend increase.  The new dividend of 64.36 cents per share, up 7.0% from 60.15 cents, is payable on May 15^th to shareholders of record as of April 25^th.  The maker of Bounty paper towels, Tide laundry detergent and other household goods now yields 3.19%.  Procter and Gamble has paid a quarterly dividend since 1890 and increased their dividend payout by 7% in 2013.

Pentair (PNR), manufacturer of thermal and water management and other products, announced their latest quarterly dividend of 25 cents per share, payable on May 9^th to shareholders of record on April 25^th.  At its current price, Pentair yields 1.30%.  Pentair announced back in February a proposal to increase the quarterly dividend to 30 cents per share beginning in the 3^rd quarter of 2014.  Shareholders will vote on this proposal at the annual general meeting on May 20^th; if approved, it would represent the 38^th consecutive annual dividend increase and would increase the yield at the current price to 1.56%.

Walgreen’s (WAG), the nation’s largest drugstore chain, announced a regular quarterly dividend of 31.5 cents per share, payable on June 12^th to shareholders of record on May 21^st.  At its current price and with the annualized payout of $1.26, the stock yields 1.96%.  Walgreen’s last increased their dividend in September 2013 with a 14.5% increase.  The next dividend increase is expected this coming July.  Walgreen’s has increased their dividend for 38 consecutive years.

Finally, Automated Data Processing (ADP) announced their latest regular quarterly dividend of 48 cents per share.  The dividend payout is payable on July 1^st to shareholders of record on June 13^th.  Automated Data Processing is a leader in providing business services to small and medium companies wishing to outsource human resource, tax and benefits management.  With an annual payout of $1.92, the stock currently yields 2.60%.  ADP last increased their dividend by 10.3% at the end of 2013 and is expected to announce their 40^th consecutive annual dividend increase in November 2014.