Dividend Scan: SPAN, EMN, LO, MOCO, FBSS, TAP, NRIM, GPI, MFA, OCR

The US market is marching towards an yet another week of gains amid reports that China will not to use real exchange rates and currency reserves to measure global economic imbalances. Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.20 percent or 24.75 points to 12,342.89. Nasdaq Composite gained 0.05 percent or 1.47 points to 2,832.95, and the Standard and Poor's 500 was up 0.03 percent or 0.46 points to 1,340.89. Amid the upward swing of the market, several companies declared their annual and quarterly dividends. Some notable dividend payers are discussed here. Shares of Span-America Medical Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: SPAN) lost 3.34 percent or $0.51 to $14.74 despite declaring a regular quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share, payable on March 9, 2011 to shareholders of record on February 28, 2011. Shares of Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE: EMN) added 0.24 percent or $0.23 to $96.50 as it declared a quarterly cash dividend of 47 cents, payable on April 1, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 15, 2011. Shares of Lorillard Inc. (NYSE: LO) slipped 0.09 percent or $0.07 to $79.11 despite the company declaring an increase of 16 percent in its quarterly dividend to $1.30 per share from $1.125. MOCON Inc. (Nasdaq: MOCO) declared a quarterly cash dividend of 10 cents per share, payable on May 20, 2011 to shareholders of record on May 6, 2011. Shares of the company added 0.91 percent or $0.11 to $12.25. Fauquier Bankshares Inc. (Nasdaq: FBSS) plans a quarterly dividend of $0.12 per share, payable on April 1, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 18, 2011. Shares of the company were trading at $13.86 with zero percent change compared to its previous day closing. Molson Coors Brewing Company (NYSE: TAP) declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.28 per share, payable on March 15, 2011 to shareholders of record on February 28, 2011. Shares of the company gained 0.20 percent or $0.09 to $46. Northrim BanCorp Inc. (Nasdaq: NRIM) announced a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.12 per share, payable on March 18, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 10, 2011. Shares of the company added 0.32 percent or $0.06 to $18.63. Group 1 Automotive Inc. (NYSE: GPI) gained 1.37 percent or $0.60 to $41.40. The company declared to raise its quarterly dividend by 10 percent to 11 cents per share. Shares of MFA Financial Inc. (NYSE: MFA) lost 0.36 percent or $0.03 to $8.41. The company declared a preferred stock dividend of $0.53 per share, payable on March 31, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 1, 2011. Omnicare Inc. (OCR) announced a quarterly cash dividend of 3.25 cents per share, payable on March 18, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 2, 2011. Shares of the company were marginally gained 0.04 percent or $0.01 to $26.85.... Read more