Apple, IBM & Co.: Shareholders can look forward to rising dividends from these companies

• Quarterly reporting season mostly positive
• Apple and numerous other corporations are planning dividend increases

Although the annual reports for the first quarter provided good and bad news, the figures were mostly positive. Numerous US companies therefore want their shareholders to participate in the success by means of a higher distribution.

Apple

In the fiscal quarter that ended at the end of March, Apple was able to significantly exceed analysts’ expectations in terms of group sales, among other things. As the iGruppe was able to successfully brace itself against the global problems in the electronics industry, sales grew by nine percent year-on-year to $97.3 billion. The bottom line is that Apple has brought in the third-highest quarterly profit in its corporate history. Therefore, the quarterly dividend is to be raised by one cent or 4.5 percent to 23 cents.

IBM

IBM was also able to exceed expectations – supported by increases in the business with software and consulting. Sales in the past quarter climbed eight percent to $14.2 billion. Profit from continuing operations also jumped significantly.

The shareholders should benefit from this and will receive a dividend of 1.65 dollars, after 1.64 dollars previously. The computer group is thus continuing a long tradition, as it is part of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index, which includes companies that have been characterized by continuous dividend increases for at least the last 25 years.

Raytheon Technologies

Meanwhile, Raytheon Technologies slightly improved its quarterly sales from $15.25 to $15.72 billion. The defense and aerospace group also announced that it would pay its shareholders a quarterly dividend of $0.55, up 7.8 percent from the previous quarter ($0.51).

Marathon Oil

Marathon Oil was able to increase quarterly sales by a strong 63.7 percent compared to the same quarter last year to 1.75 billion dollars. Therefore, the oil and natural gas producer is now planning a dividend increase of 15 percent from 7 to 8 cents per share.

Significant dividend increases

Some US companies attracted attention with particularly strong dividend increases: Discover Financial Services (from 50 to 60 cents per share), Paychex (from 66 to 79 cents) and the oil and gas company Continental Resources are planning an increase of around 20 percent (from 23 to 28 cents). Parker-Hannifin, a manufacturer of industrial components, even wants to raise the payout to its shareholders by 29 percent from $1.03 to $1.33 now.

Also worth mentioning is WW Grainger. The industrial group recently convinced with an increase in sales of 18.26 percent to 3.65 billion dollars. The quarterly dividend is said to be “only” improved by 6 percent from $1.62 to $1.72, but it is noteworthy that, according to “Barron’s,” this is the 51st year in a row that shareholders have reported a increase in dividends.

Editorial office finanzen.net

Image sources: Apple, Tomasz Bidermann / Shutterstock.com