Dividend investors rejoice! This week has finally brought a large amount of companies increasing their dividends, 16 to be precise. Within these 16 companies is a wide variety of choice surrounding the operational sectors of the respective firms, as well as a range of yields from the lows of 2% to the highs of 8% and beyond. Let us begin.

TransMontaigne Partners (TLP), provider of storage services to petroleum companies, has increases its quarterly distribution to $0.60. This provides a new yield to investors of 8.21%. Citizens & Northern Corp. (CZNC), banking and mortgage services provider in New York, has increased its dividend 12.5% to $0.09 per share. This generates a new yield of 2.94%. Magellan Midstream Partners (MMP), a company providing services to the petroleum industry, has increased its dividend to $0.72 per share. This provides a yield of 6.00% to investors.

Renaissance Learning (RLRN), producer of software for kindergarten, has increased its dividend 14% to $0.08 per share. This produces a new yield of 2.05%. LSB Corp (LSBX), financial products provider, has increased its dividend to $0.09 per share. This gives a new yield of 2.73%. Fidelity National (FNF), an insurance provider, has increased its quarterly dividend to $0.18 per share. This gives a respectable yield of 4.76%. Ensco (ESV), provider of offshore drilling services, has increased its dividend to $0.35 per share. This produces a new yield of 2.78%.

Sensient Tech (SXT), manufacturer of coloring and flavoring products for different niches markets, has increased its dividend to $0.20 per share. This generates a new yield of 2.53%. Arch Coal (ACI), a large US coal producer, has increased its quarterly dividend 11% to $0.10 per share. This returns a 1.45% yield. Finally, Artesian Resources Corp (ARTNA), water distributors throughout Delaware, has increased its dividend to $0.19 per share. This generates a new yield of 4.19%

Dividend Achievers

Sonoco (SON), manufacturer of packaging products, has increased its dividend to $0.28 per share. This gives a new yield of 3.38%. Kinder Morgan (KMP), one of the largest pipeline transportation and storage companies in the North has increased its distribution to $1.07 giving a yield of 6.29%. J M Smucker (SJM), the well-known producer of various food products, has increased its quarterly dividend to $0.40 per share. This gives a new yield of 2.54%.

Dividend Aristocrats

Procter & Gamble (PG), specializing in household and personal care consumer goods, has increased its dividend 9.5% to $0.4818 per share. This generates a fresh yield of 3.05%. This is the 54^th consecutive year Procter & Gamble has increased its dividend. Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), a well-known leader in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, has increased its quarterly dividend to $0.54 per share. This produces a new yield of 3.33% and is the 48^th consecutive year that Johnson and Johnson has increased its share price.

Final Thoughts

Most of the companies featured in this article have somewhat attractive yields, with particularly high ones coming from TransMontaigne Partners (8.21%) and Magellan Midstream Partners (6.00%). However, it should be noted that TransMontaigne Partners isn’t an ordinary share, but instead it is a unit trust – be sure to do your own research to see if these are quite what you’d like to invest in.

Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson are the two big-name dividend aristocrats in today’s issue, both of which have yields over 3% and have increased their dividend for the past consecutive 50 years or so; this means that future dividend increases are all but guaranteed. As a dividend investor it is usually best to avoid jumping in at the high yields, but instead start with a strong company that has a reputation of consecutive dividend increases, yet perhaps a low yield, and watch those yields (and consequently income) increase giving a much higher result than those looking for short-term high yields; Procter & Gamble or Johnson & Johnson would do nicely here.

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