4 Dividend Stocks Raising Dividends and Expectations

Have you ever pondered the concept of forever or infinity? It is truly mind boggling! What is even more astonishing is that when I buy a stock, my target holding period is forever. For most people, myself included, that is hard to grasp and to carry out. When things start going bad, our primal instinct of flight kicks in and we want to sell. In many cases, that is the time we should be buying. Holding a stock through an economic downturn is much easier when it pays a rising dividend.

Below are several companies giving their shareholders a reason not to sell by increasing their cash dividends:

Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) is an integrated provider of natural gas and natural gas liquids services, including processing, fractionation, storage, transportation, and terminalling. April 13th the partnership increased its quarterly distribution to $0.5675/unit. The quarterly distribution will be paid on Thursday, May 6, 2010, to unit holders of record as of the close of business on Friday, April 30, 2010. The ex-dividend date is April 28. The yield based on the new payout is 6.36%.

Genesis Energy (GEL) is a limited partnership focused on the midstream segment of the oil and gas industry in the Gulf Coast region of the United States. April 14th the partnership raised its quarterly distribution 8.9% over the first quarter 2009 to $0.3675/unit. The distribution will be paid on May 14, 2010, to Common Unitholders of record at the close of business on May 4, 2010. The ex-dividend date is April 30, 2010. The yield based on the new payout is 7.20%.

HB Fuller (FUL) is an international manufacturer of adhesives, sealants, paints and specialty construction products. April 15th the company increased its quarterly dividend 2.9% to $0.07/share. FUL is a Dividend Achiever and has raised its dividend for 41 consecutive years. The yield based on the new payout is 1.17%.

Donegal (DGICA) offers personal and commercial lines of insurance to businesses and individuals in 18 Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern and Southeastern states. April 15th the company raised its quarterly dividend 2.2% to $0.115/share. The dividend is payable May 17, 2010 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on May 3, 2010. The yield based on the new payout is 3.08%.

In addition to the above dividend raisers, the following Dividend Aristocrats declared regular quarterly cash dividends:

April 12th Walgreens (WAG) declared a quarterly dividend of $0.1375/share with a 1.5% yield. The dividend is payable June 12, 2010, to shareholders of record May 20, 2010. The ex-dividend date is May 6, 2010. [Analysis]

Pitney Bowes (PBI) on April 12 declared a quarterly dividend of $0.365/share with a 5.9% yield. The dividend is payable June 12, 2010, to shareholders of record on May 14, 2010. The ex-dividend date is May 12, 2010.

April 15th Consolidated Edison, Inc. (ED) declared a quarterly dividend of $0.595/share with a 5.3% yield. The dividend is payable June 15, 2010, to stockholders of record as of May 12, 2010. The ex-dividend date is May 10, 2010.

If you invest in good solid stocks that increase their dividends on a consistent basis, day-to-day share movements will not concern you. For a list of stocks with a long string of consecutive cash dividend increases, see this list.