Dividend Scan: NAFC, COST, TSS, USTR, XL, BKCC, JMP, WTI, NATL, PPDI

The US market shed its morning blues as ADP Employer Services presented an encouraging data on the country's job sector. Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.40 percent or 48.29 points to 12,106.31, and Nasdaq Composite gained 0.68 percent or 18.64 points to 2,756.05. The Standard and Poor's 500 was up 0.46 percent or 6.07 points to 1,312.40. Here are some notable dividend announcements made during the day. Nash-Finch Company (Nasdaq: NAFC) declared a regular cash dividend of 18 cents per share, payable on March 25, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 11, 2011. NAFC added 0.98 percent or $0.39 to $40.01. Costco Wholesale Corporation (Nasdaq: COST) slipped 0.14 percent or $0.03 to $73.59 despite raising its quarterly dividend to $0.205 from $0.18 per share. Total System Services Inc (NYSE: TSS) added 0.90 percent or $0.16 to $17.90 as the company approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.07 per share, payable on April 1, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 17, 2011. United Stationers Inc (Nasdaq: USTR) declared a quarterly dividend of 26 cents per share. USTR gained 0.45 percent or $0.30 to $66.61 after the news. XL Group PLC (NYSE: XL) announced a 10 percent increase in its quarterly dividend to 11 cents from 10 cents per share. The dividend is payable on March 31, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 15, 2011. However, XL lost 0.76 percent or $0.15 to $22.26. BlackRock Kelso Capital Corporation (Nasdaq: BKCC) declared a quarterly dividend of $0.32 per share, payable on April 1, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 18, 2011. BKCC added 0.90 percent or $0.11 to $12.31. JMP Group Inc (NYSE: JMP) added 0.35 percent or $0.03 to $8.63 as the company declared an increase of 33 percent in its quarterly cash dividend to $0.02 per share, payable on April 1, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 18, 2011. W&T Offshore Inc (NYSE: WTI) tumbled 12.58 percent or $3.10 to $21.47 despite declaring a regular cash dividend of $0.04 per share, payable on March 31, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 15, 2011. National Interstate Corporation (Nasdaq: NATL) raised its quarterly dividend by 12.5 percent to 9 cents from 8 cents per share, payable on March 18, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 9, 2011. NATL gained 0.58 percent or $0.12 to $20.69. Pharmaceutical Product Development Inc (Nasdaq: PPDI) announced a cash dividend of $0.15 per share, payable on March 29, 2011 to shareholders of record on March 15, 2011. PPDI was up 0.80 percent or $0.22 to $27.75.... Read more