30 Dividend Stocks That Just Increased Their Payouts By Diane Alter

Investing in dividend stocks remains a good move to make today while interest rates are still low.

Since 1926, dividends have contributed approximately one-third of total equity returns, with capital gains contributing the remaining two-thirds, reports S&P Dow Jones Indexes.

Dividend stocks also provide protection against inflation, which is currently ramping up. Dividend growth has historically surpassed the rate of inflation, according to S&P Dow Jones Indexes.

Investors looking for dividend income have more options than ever now as companies continue to increase their payouts. In Q2 2014, 696 dividend boosts were reported, up from 591 hikes in 2013's second quarter.

And Q3 is shaping up to be equally as robust. Last week, 65 companies sweetened their payouts, following 80 increases in the prior week.

Since dividend growth is an important factor in finding a good dividend stocks, here's a list of 30 notable dividend boosts from the week ending Aug 1, 2014.

Acme United Corp. (NYSEMKT: ACU) increased its quarterly dividend 3.5% to $0.57 a share for a 2.08% yield.

AllianceBernstein Holding LP (NYSE: AB) raised its quarterly dividend $0.06 to $0.45 a share for a 7.12% yield.

Brooks Automation Inc. (Nasdaq: BRKS) boosted its quarterly payout $0.02 to $0.10 a share for a 3.8% yield.

CBOE Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: CBOE) upped its quarterly dividend $0.03 to $0.21 a share for a 1.7% yield.

Cheesecake Factory Inc. (Nasdaq: CAKE) raised its quarterly payout 18% to $0.165 a share for a 1.54% yield. "America's favorite restaurant" just opened its newest outlet in Reno, its first in northern Nevada.

Crane Co. (NYSE: CR) hiked its quarterly disbursement $0.03 to $0.33 a share for a yield approaching 2%.

Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL) increased its quarterly distribution $0.03, or 50%, to $0.09 a share for a yield just shy of 1%.

Enbridge Energy Partners LP (NYSE: EEP) upped its quarterly dividend 2.1% to $0.555 a share for a 6.7% yield.

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Fox Chase Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq: FXCB) boosted its quarterly payout $0.02 to $0.12 a share for a 2.84% yield. The dividend hike followed Q2 numbers showing a whopping 122% year-over-year increase in earnings.

Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (NYSE: HIG) hiked its quarterly dividend $0.03 to $0.18 a share for a 2.12% yield.

Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. (NYSE: HST) boosted its quarterly payout a nickel to $0.20 a share for a 3.7% yield.

IAC/Interactive Corp. (Nasdaq: IACI) increased its quarterly dividend a dime to $0.34 a share for a 2.05% yield.

JMP Group Inc. (NYSE: JMP) juiced its quarterly payout a penny to $0.06 a share for a 3.54% yield.

Kellogg Co. (NYSE: K) goosed its quarterly dividend $0.03 to $0.49 a share for a 3.19% yield. The Sept. 15 dividend will mark the cereal giant's 359th dividend paid to common stock holders since 1925.

Littelfuse Inc. (Nasdaq: LFUS) lifted its quarterly payout $0.03 to $0.25 a share for a 1.16% yield.

Marathon Oil Corp. (NYSE: MRO) moved its quarterly dividend up $0.03 to $0.21 a share for a 2.18% yield. This is the Houston oil company's third boost since it spun off from Marathon Petroleum in June 2011.

Marathon Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: MPC) hiked its quarterly dividend $0.12 to $0.50 a share for a 2.4% yield. This is the fourth increase since the Ohio-based company became a standalone company in July 2011.

Motorola Solutions Inc. (NYSE: MSI) raised its quarterly payout $0.03 to $0.34 a share for a 2.3% yield.

Papa John's International Inc. (Nasdaq: PZZA) hiked its quarterly dividend 12% to $0.14 a share for a 1.34% yield.

Regency Energy Partners LP (NYSE: RGP) raised its quarterly dividend a penny to $0.49 a share for a 6.41% yield.

ResMed Inc. (NYSE: RMD) increased its quarterly dividend $0.03 to $0.28 a share for a 2.25% yield.

SandRidge Permian Trust (NYSE: PER) upped its quarterly payout 3.9% to $0.632 a share for a 20% yield.

Southern Copper Corp. (NYSE: SCCO) sweetened its quarterly distribution $0.02 to $0.12 a share for a 1.42% yield.

Suncor Energy Inc. (NYSE: SU) juiced its quarterly dividend 21.7% to $0.25 a share for a 2.6% yield.

Tesoro Corp. (NYSE: TSO) hiked its quarterly payout a nickel to $0.30 a share for a 2% yield.

Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd. (NYSE ADR: TEVA) raised its quarterly disbursement 0.8% to $0.353 a share for a 2.54% yield.

UGI Corp. (NYSE: UGI) upped its quarterly payout 10.6% to $0.21 a share for a 2.7% yield.

Union Pacific Corp. (NYSE: UNP) boosted its quarterly distribution 10% to $0.50 a share for a 2.04% yield. The Omaha, Neb.-based railroad giant has been paying uninterrupted dividends for 115 consecutive years.

Valero Energy Corp. (NYSE: VLO) goosed its quarterly payout 10% to $0.27 a share for a 2.18% yield. The hike was VLO's second this year. Distributions have been ongoing since 1997.

Wi-Lan Inc. (Nasdaq: WILN) raised its quarterly dividend 25% to $0.046 a share for a 5.7% yield.

Don't forget to claim your free dividend stocks report: The Best Dividend Strategy for Building a Fortune in the Low-Yield Era

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