12 Companies Increasing Dividends Last Week

The dividend diva catwalk continued last week, as another batch of big-name companies upped payouts to shareholders. Perhaps the most well-known of last week�s corporate dividend stars was consumer products maker Clorox (NYSE: CLX). The maker of bleach, barbecue sauce and briquettes, among numerous other products, boosted its quarterly cash dividend by 9% to 60 cents per share from 55 cents. The newly washed dividend will paid on Aug. 12 to shareholders of record as of July 27. The increase marks the 34th year that the company has upped its payout.

Supermarket chain Safeway (NYSE: SWY) stocks many of the products made by Clorox, and last week, the company stocked the shelves of shareholders� portfolios by increasing its quarter dividend by 21%. The new payout will be 14.5 cents per share �versus the current 12 cents. The new dividend is payable on July 14 to shareholders of record on June 23.

Luxury goods retailer Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF) is famous for the contents of its little robin�s egg blue boxes, and last week, the company let shareholders unwrap a little box filled with a shiny new payout pendant. Tiffany raised its quarterly dividend by 16% to 29 cents per share from 25 cents. The jewelry maker said its gift would be granted on July 11 to shareholders of record on June 20. The new dividend represents the ninth dividend increase in the past nine years.

Of course, bleach, groceries and jewelry aren�t the only items generating big dividends. Here are nine more companies boosting dividend payouts last week.

ACE Ltd. (NYSE: ACE): The global insurance and reinsurance issuer took steps last week to ensure its shareholders were covered. The company upped its quarterly payout by 6.1% to 35 cents per share from 33 cents. The new dividend is payable July 21 to shareholders of record on June 30.

Analog Devices (NYSE: ADI): The semiconductor chip maker put more chips in shareholders pots, raising its quarterly dividend 14% to 25 cents per share from 22 cents. The increased ante will be paid on June 15 to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 27. The increased payouts came along with the announcement of a 9% jump in Q1 revenue, and earnings per share that easily bested consensus estimates.

Corn Products International (NYSE: CPO): The maker of such healthy fare as high fructose corn syrup gave its shareholders a sugar high last week, spiking its dividend by just over 14%. The new quarterly payout of 16 cents per share from 14 cents will be made on July 25 to shareholders of record on June 30.

Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (NYSE: DPS): The beverage maker put a bit more pep in shareholders� cups, declaring a new quarterly dividend of 32 cents per share. The new payout puts 28% more fizz over the previous pour. The increased dividend is payable on July 8 to shareholders of record on June 20.

Keycorp (NYSE: KEY): The bank-based financial services firm serviced shareholders� pocketbooks last week, upping its quarterly payout to 3 cents per share. The new dividend is payable June 15 to shareholders of record on May 31.

Scripps Network Interactive (NYSE: SNI): The owner of TV channels the Food Network and HGTV cooked up an improved payout of 33%, raising its quarterly dividend to 10 cents per share from 7.5 cents. The new payout will be broadcast on June 10 to shareholders of record May 31.

Western Union (NYSE: WU): The company wired a telegram to shareholders announcing a 14% increase in its quarterly dividend. The new payout of 8 cents per share versus the current 7 cents will be paid on June 30 to shareholders of record on June 17.

WR Berkley Corporation (NYSE: WRB): The insurance holding company decided not to hold on to its cash, as it increased its quarterly payout by 14%. The new dividend of 8 cents per share will be paid on July 1 to shareholders of record on June 14.

Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL): The electricity and natural gas company powered up its quarterly dividend to shareholders, energizing its payout to 26 cents per share from 25.25 cents. The new dividend is payable July 20 to shareholders of record on June 23.

At the time of publication, Jim Woods held no positions in any of the stocks mentioned in this article.