Content about Dividends

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart said Thursday it is continuing its annual tradition of increasing shareholder payout by raising its dividend by 9%.

Walmart will pay a quarterly dividend of 39.75 cents on April 4 to shareholders of record on March 12. That works out to $1.59 per share for the year. The company has increased its dividend every year since its first declared dividend in March 1974.

According to Walmart president and CEO Mike Duke, the company's U.S. business is back on track, and international results remain strong.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Thursday declared a regular quarterly dividend of 22.5 cents per share, a 28.6% increase over the year-ago dividend. The dividend is payable March 12, 2012, to shareholders of record Feb. 17, 2012.

Walgreens has paid a dividend in 317 straight quarters (more than 79 years) and has raised its dividend for 36 consecutive years. Over the last five years, Walgreens' annual dividend rate has increased from 31 cents per share to 90 cents per share, resulting in a compound annual growth rate of 23.8%.

SUNBURY, Pa. — Weis Markets' board of directors on Thursday declared a quarterly dividend of 30 cents to.

In addition to the 30-cent dividend, the board also offered a special one-time dividend valued at $1 per share as a reward to shareholders, Weis chairman Robert Weis said. The special dividend will be paid to shareholders of record as of Nov. 7 and payable on Nov. 12.

Weis added that the company's $100 million 2011 capital expansion plan is 75% complete.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The board of directors of Ingles Markets declared a quarterly cash dividend per share on all of its class A common stock and class B common stock.

Class A common stock was 16.5 cents, while class B common stock was 15 cents. This is an annual rate of 66 cents and 60 cents per share, respectively.

Dividends of both classes of stock are payable on Oct. 20 to shareholders of record on Oct. 6.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — The board of directors of Walgreens on Wednesday increased the quarterly dividend 28.6% — the largest quarterly dividend increase in the company's 110-year history — to 22.5 cents per share from the previous rate of 17.5 cents per share.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark's board of directors has approved a quarterly dividend of 12.5 cents per share.

The dividend is payable Aug. 2 to holders of record on July 22, the company noted.

ABBOTT PARK, Ill. — Abbott has delivered quarterly dividends for more than 300 consecutive quarters as of Friday, the drug maker said.

Abbott, based in the Chicago area, declared a quarterly common dividend of 48 cents per share, marking the 350th consecutive quarterly dividend to be paid since 1924.

The company said only 1% of companies listed on the S&P 500 Index, of which Abbott is one, had delivered a comparable number of consecutive annual increases and payments.

ISSAQUAH, Wash. — Wholesaler Costco on Tuesday said its board of directors has approved a $4 billion share buyback program. The company also raised its quarterly dividend by 17% to 24 cents, up from 20.5 cents.

The share buyback program expires in April 2015 and replaces a previous plan set to expire in July, which had $800 million remaining, the company said.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The board of directors at regional supermarket chain Ingles Markets declared a cash dividend of 16.5 cents per share of Class A common stock and 15 cents per share on all its Class B common stock.

This is an annual rate of 66 cents and 60 cents per share, respectively. Dividends on both the Class A and Class B common stock are payable April 21, to all shareholders of record on April 7.

CINCINNATI — Kroger's board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of 10.5 cents per share, the same payout amount as January.

The dividend will be paid June 1 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 16.

LAKELAND, Fla. — Publix's board of directors has approved an annual cash dividend of common stock, which will be payable and mailed June 1.

The 2011 dividend is 53 cents per share and will be paid to stockholders of record as of the close of business on Apr. 29.

Publix, based in Lakeland, Fla., operates more than 1,000 stores and had 2010 sales of $25.1 billion.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart said Thursday that it is increasing its annual dividend 21% on the back of strong earnings.

The retailer last month reported a 27% increase in fourth-quarter net income as it benefited from cost-cutting and strong international sales. Walmart said it will pay an annual dividend this year of $1.46, up from $1.21. It will pay quarterly dividends of 36.5 cents in April, June, September and January in fiscal 2012, which ends Jan. 31.

The next dividend will be paid on April 4 to shareholders of record on March 11.