The 7 'Sweet Spot' Dividend Champions Poised for the Highest Total Returns (Part 2)

<< Return to Part 1 In this part 2 of our articles on the top 14 Dividend Champions that represent the “sweet spot” for total return, we will emphasize capital appreciation over yield. In part 1 of this two-part article, we started out by covering the first seven companies with the highest yields of the group of 14. Consequently, in part 1, we focused more on dividend yield than we did capital appreciation. In this part 2, we will turn our attention more towards the capital appreciation component, but dividends will still be a major focus. This is because we feel that the most important factor that should be gleaned from these articles is the importance of total return, which includes both capital appreciation and dividends. Dividends are great, and we have written about their... more

Commerce Bancshares (CBSH) Increses Quarterly Dividend 2.2% to $0.23; Yields 2.2%

Commerce Bancshares, Inc. (Nasdaq: CBSH) announced today that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.23 per share, $0.92 annualized. The dividend is a 2.2% increase from the current rate of $0.225. The dividend is payable on March 28, 2011 to stockholders of record at the close of business on March 11, 2011. The ex-dividend date is March 9, 2010. Yield on the dividend is 2.2%.... more

GATX Corp. (GMT) Quarterly Dividend 3.6% to $0.29; Yields 3.5%

GATX Corporation (NYSE: GATX) today declared a quarterly dividend of $0.29 per common share, $1.16 annualized. The dividend is a 3.6% increase from the current rate of $0.28. The dividend is payable March 31, 2011, to shareholders of record on February 25, 2011. The ex-dividend date is February 23, 2011. Yield on the dividend is 3.5%.... more

CONSOL Energy (CNX) Declares $0.10 Quarterly Dividend; 0.9% Yield

CONSOL Energy Inc.'s (NYSE: CNX) Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share, $0.40 annualized. The dividend is payable on February 18, 2011, to shareholders of record on February 8, 2011. The ex-dividend date is February 4, 2011. Yield on the dividend is 0.9%.... more

CMS Energy (CMS) Declares $0.21 Quarterly Dividend; 4.3% Yield

CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS) has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.21 per share, $0.84 annualized. It is payable February 28, 2011 to shareholders of record on February 7, 2011. The ex-dividend date is February 3, 2011. Yield on the dividend is 4.3%.... more

Cleco Corp. (CNL) Declares $0.25 Quarterly Dividend; 3.2% Yield

Cleco Corp. (CNL) has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.25 per common share, $1.00 annualized. The dividend is payable February 15, 2011, to shareholders of record as of February 7, 2011, with an ex-dividend date of February 3, 2011. Yield on the dividend is 3.2%.... more

American Water Works (AWK) Declares $0.22 Quarterly Dividend; 3.4% Yield

American Water Works Company, Inc. (NYSE: AWK) announced today that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend payment of $0.22 per share, $0.88 annualized. The regular quarterly cash dividend is payable on March 1, 2011 to all shareholders of record as of February 18, 2011. The ex-dividend date is February 16, 2011. Yield on the dividend is 3.4%.... more

TF Financial (THRD) Posts Q4 EPS of $0.24; Declares $0.05 Quarterly Dividend; 0.9% Yield

TF Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: THRD) reported Q4 EPS of $0.24, versus $0.44 last year. TF Financial also announced that their Board has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.05 per share, $0.20 annualized. The dividend is payable February 15, 2011 to shareholders of record on February 8, 2011. The ex-dividend date is February 4, 2011. Yield on the dividend is 0.9%.... more

Quality Systems Inc. (QSII) Tops Q3 EPS by 6c; Increases Quarterly Dividend 16.7% to $0.35; Yields 1.9%

Quality Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: QSII) reported Q3 EPS of $0.60, $0.06 better than the analyst estimate of $0.54. Revenue for the quarter came in at $91.9 million versus the consensus estimate of $89.58 million. The company has also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.35 per common share, $1.40 annualized. The dividend is a 16.7% increase from the current rate of $0.30. The dividend is payable to shareholders of record as of March 17, 2011, with an anticipated distribution date of April 5, 2011. The ex-dividend date is March 15, 2011. Yield on the dividend is 1.9%.... more

Oritani Financial Corp. (ORIT) Reports In-Line Q4 EPS; Declares $0.10 Quarterly Dividend; 3.3% Yield

Oritani Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: ORIT) reported Q4 EPS of $0.13, in-line with the analyst estimate of $0.13. Revenue for the quarter came in at $0 versus the consensus estimate of $19.61 million. The Company also reported that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 per common share, $0.40 annualized. The record date for the dividend will be February 11, 2011 and the payment date will be February 25, 2011. The ex-dividend date is February 23, 2011. Yield on the dividend is 3.3%.... more