Five Dividend Stocks to Consider for 2011

As 2010 draws to a close, investors are once again breathing a sigh of relief. The year may not have produced the stellar market gains that some were hoping for, but the S&P 500 will finish with double digit gains nonetheless. Most importantly, investor fears of a double-dip recession appear to have subsided and we are becoming more confident that the worst is behind us. While the overall market will close 2010 with a respectable 12-13% gain for the year, some dividend stocks have posted monster gains this year, like Caterpillar’s (CAT) 67% gain and DuPont’s (DD) 48% increase. Hopefully you were able to capture some of those nice gains in 2010. If not, there is always next year. Either way, now is the time that investors should start looking for the big stock winners of 2011 to add to... more

Bush Era Tax Cut Extension: Best News Possible for Dividend Stocks

You've no doubt heard the Bush-era tax cuts have been extended. After much sound and fury, Congress voted to extend the tax breaks to all Americans, including those in the top income brackets. The tax cuts were set to expire at midnight on Dec. 31, but will be extended through the end of 2012.... more

How Long Can Western Union's Dividends Last?

Whether you're a beginning investor or a near-retiree, the importance of purchasing stocks that pay dividends cannot be overstated. Not only do companies that have quarterly or annual payouts provide you with a steady stream of income, they also have the potential for capital appreciation. Simply put, dividend stocks can give your portfolio what almost no other investment can -- both income and growth. At The Motley Fool, we're avid fans of dividends -- and not just because we like that steady stream of cash. Studies have shown that from 1972 to 2006, stocks in the S&P 500 that don't pay dividends have earned an average annual return of 4.1%; dividend stocks, however, have averaged a whopping 10.1% per year. That is an incredible difference -- one that you'd be crazy to not take... more

T. Rowe Price Group's Dividends May Not Last Forever

Whether you're a beginning investor or a near-retiree, the importance of purchasing stocks that pay dividends cannot be overstated. Not only do companies that have quarterly or annual payouts provide you with a steady stream of income, they also have the potential for capital appreciation. Simply put, dividend stocks can give your portfolio what almost no other investment can -- both income and growth. At The Motley Fool, we're avid fans of dividends -- and not just because we like that steady stream of cash. Studies have shown that from 1972 to 2006, stocks in the S&P 500 that don't pay dividends have earned an average annual return of 4.1%; dividend stocks, however, have averaged a whopping 10.1% per year. That is an incredible difference -- one that you'd be crazy to not take... more

The Most Promising Dividends in Pharmaceuticals

Dividend payers deserve a berth in any long-term stock portfolio, but seemingly attractive dividend yields are not always as fetching as they may appear. Let's take a look at the pharmaceutical industry, in order to find its most promising dividends. First, though, understand just why you should want to own dividend payers. It's because they can contribute a huge chunk of growth to your portfolio, and they can bolster it during market downturns. My colleague Matt Koppenheffer has noted, "Between 2000 and 2009, the average dividend-adjusted return on stocks with market caps above $5 billion and a trailing yield of 2.5% or better was a whopping 114%. Compare that to a 19% drop for the S&P 500."... more

Highest-Yielding Tech Stocks (You Might Actually Want to Buy)

The power of dividend investing is pretty well-known these days. Higher-yielding stocks tend to offer higher returns over time than low- or no-yield stocks, according to research from Jeremy Siegel and others. In fact, the 20 best-performing survivor stocks from the original S&P 500 in 1957 are all dividend payers. What's more, reinvesting dividends acts as a "bear-market protector and return accelerator," according to Siegel. The extra shares purchased and accumulated at higher dividend yields during down periods act as a protector in falling markets, and these extra shares rising in value turn into a "return accelerator" when prices rise.... more

The 5 Fastest Dividend Growers of the Past Decade

Fact: Dividends are hot right now. Fact: In the period 1972-2010, S&P 500 companies that raised their dividend demolished the returns of companies that eliminated, reduced, didn't pay, or held steady on their dividend.... more

5 Fast-Growing Dividends From Solid Stocks

Many investors lost money over the past couple of years, but the endowments at prestigious universities suffered even worse. Investment performance at Harvard and Yale "badly trailed" the results at the average college, as The Wall Street Journal so delicately put it. I'm shocked -- but not because of these endowments' lackluster returns. With exotic strategies and illiquid investments, Princeton registered a 24% loss in 2009, while Cornell took a 26% hit, and Harvard suffered a 27% drop. Compare those losses to the 18% drop for the median large endowment. Worse yet, many such institutions fund their operating expenses with the capital from endowments like these. If they don't generate capital gains, they may be forced to cut budgets and slash salaries.... more

Flanigan's Enterprises (BDL) Posts Stronger Q4 EPS on Lighter Revs; Declares $0.10 Dividend; 1.3% Yield

Flanigan's Enterprises Inc. (AMEX: BDL) reports Q4 EPS of $0.16, versus $0.12 reported for the same period a year ago. Revenue for the quarter was $16.52 million, compared to $16.56 million in Q409. The Board also declared a cash dividend of $0.10 per share. The dividend is payable January 18, 2011, to shareholders of record on January 7, 2011. The ex-dividend date is January 5, 2011. Yield on the dividend is 1.3%.... more

Glacier Bancorp (GBCI) Declares $0.13 Quarterly Dividend; 3.4% Yield

Glacier Bancorp, Inc.'s (Nasdaq: GBCI) Board of Directors, at a meeting held on December 29, 2010, declared a quarterly dividend of $0.13 per share, $0.52 annualized. The dividend is payable on January 20, 2011, to owners of record on January 11, 2011. The ex-dividend date is January 7, 2011. Yield on the dividend is 3.4%.... more