Dividend Scan: TRP, OMC, UCBI, SWK, TW, WLT, ITW, HAL, NEBS

The US market remained on the negative territory during the mid-day trading after the Commerce Department's retail sales report fell below the economists' prediction. Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.46 percent or 56.38 points to 12,211.81. Nasdaq Composite was down 0.52 percent or 14.75 points to 2,802.76, and the Standard and Poor's 500 slipped 0.47 percent or 6.30 points to 1,326.02. During the day, few companies declared their quarterly and annual dividends. TransCanada Corporation (NYSE: TRP) added 0.63 percent or $0.24 to $38.51 as the company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.42 per common share, payable on April 29, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 31, 2011. Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) lost 3.20 percent or $1.60 to $48.38 during the mid-day trading. The company plans a 25 percent increase in its quarterly dividend to 20 cents per share. United Community Banks Inc. (Nasdaq: UCBI) lost 2.14 percent or $0.04 to $1.83 as the company plans to suspend its quarterly dividend of $2.25 million on preferred stock issued to the Treasury Department. Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK) declared a 21 percent increase in its quarterly cash dividend to $0.41 per common share, payable on March 22, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 2, 2011. However, shares of the company were down 0.93 percent or $0.68 to $72.80. Shares of Towers Watson & Co. (NYSE: TW) added 0.28 percent or $0.16 to $57.49 as the company declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.075 per common share, payable on April 15, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 31, 2011. Shares of Walter Energy Inc. (NYSE: WLT) were down 2.26 percent or $2.87 to $124.22. The company is set to pay a quarterly dividend of 12 cents per share tomorrow. Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW) plans to maintain its quarterly dividend of 34 cents per share. Shares of the company were down 2.10 percent or $1.17 to $54.56. Halliburton Company (NYSE: HAL) has decided to maintain its quarterly dividend of 9 cents per share, payable on March 23, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 2, 2011. Shares of the company gained 0.28 percent or $0.15 to $45.79 during the day's trading. New England Bancshares Inc. (Nasdaq: NEBS) declared a cash dividend of $0.03 per share, payable on March 14, 2011 to shareholders of record on February 28, 2011. Shares of the company added 0.50 percent or $0.05 to $10.... Read more