For a number of companies, especially those that are counted among the S&P Dividend Aristocrats, boosting the dividend is annual ritual. And dividend fever is now spreading, as many companies and industries that would never have thought of offering up a yield in the past are now doing so. #-ad_banner-#Thanks to a steady economy and more predictable cash flows, you’ll now find dividends popping up in unusual places, and these three firms show the way. A look at their financial statements suggests that they may become among the most robust dividend boosters of the coming decade. Read More
For a number of companies, especially those that are counted among the S&P Dividend Aristocrats, boosting the dividend is annual ritual. And dividend fever is now spreading, as many companies and industries that would never have thought of offering up a yield in the past are now doing so. #-ad_banner-#Thanks to a steady economy and more predictable cash flows, you’ll now find dividends popping up in unusual places, and these three firms show the way. A look at their financial statements suggests that they may become among the most robust dividend boosters of the coming decade. 1. Delta Airlines (NYSE: DAL) The airline industry has been through so many booms and busts that dividends were never even an option. One bad year could erase many years of positive cash flow, and such bad years have often led to bankruptcy. But times have changed. The world’s top airline carriers have established a predictable market, characterized by stable pricing, full planes, and stronger balance sheets. Back in 2011, I noted that Delta Airlines was establishing an unprecedented level of capital planning prudence, and was poised to rewrite the industry rulebook. Read More