Companies announce dividend increases

Investors of stocks that pay a dividend might notice higher amounts on upcoming checks as more companies have said in recent weeks that they will raise those payments, a sign of healthier companies with stronger profits.

"It means companies are doing exactly what they set out to do," said Will Rogers, an Ameriprise financial planner in Evans. "The only reason you give a company money is you hope at some point in the future to get it back in company profits." Dividends are a portion of profits that are returned to shareholders, usually through quarterly checks. Bigger payments can put smiles on the faces of investors who counted on that money.

Source: The Augusta Chronicle

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