These are today's dividend updates by The Dynamic Dividend on SLM Corporation (SLM), People’s United Financial Inc. (PBCT) and NewMarket Corporation (NEU).Sallie Mae(SLM) Declares First Dividend in Four YearsSallie Mae Corporation declared a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share within today’s first quarter earnings release, its first since early 2007. The student loan company also reported better-than-expected earnings and announced a $300 million share repurchase program, sending shares higher in extended trading.

Sallie Mae posted first quarter adjusted earnings of $0.48 per share for its first quarter, easily beating the consensus profit view ($0.40 per share).

Analysts currently expect Sallie Mae to earn $1.77 next year, giving the company a very manageable 23% forward payout ratio to begin its new dividend-paying era.

Shares of Sallie Mae popped to $15.35 (+6.15%) in extended trading, where they now feature a 2.61% dividend yield.

Sallie Mae last paid a quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share in March 2007. The cancellation of its payout ended decades of consistent dividend growth.

People’s United Financial Inc. (PBCT) Raises Dividend for 18th Straight YearPeople’s United Financial declared a quarterly dividend of $0.1575 per share within today’s first quarter earnings release, pushing its payout higher by 1.6%. The raise puts the financial services company on pace to increase its dividend total for the 18th consecutive year.

As for its actual performance during the quarter, People’s United posted earnings of $0.15 per share, easily beating the consensus analyst estimate of $0.12 per share.

Shares of People’s United rose to $13.00 (+1.25%) during extended trading, where they now feature a 4.85% dividend yield.

People’s United has increased its annual dividend total every year since reinstating its payout in 1993. Today’s press release touts this as the company’s “19th consecutive annual dividend increase,” but I don’t count the initiation of a quarterly dividend as an actual increase. So, I say it’s just the 18th.

NewMarket Corporation (NEU) Reports Huge Q1, Boosts Dividend 36% NewMarket Corporation reported first quarter results that crushed analyst estimates after today’s closing bell, and capped it off with yet another generous dividend hike.

The chemical additives company posted adjusted first quarter earnings of $3.53 per share on $508.1 million in revenue, easily beating the average analyst estimates for both profit ($2.90 per share) and sales ($425.78 million). Net income topped last year’s Q1 figure by 18%, while sales rose 29% year-over-year.

In a separate release, NewMarket declared a quarterly dividend of $0.60 per share, a 36% improvement over its previous two payouts. The sharp increase is a bit of a surprise, considering the company raised its dividend by 17% just six months ago. NewMarket has now increased its dividend by a staggering 380% since reinstating its payout in 2006.

Shares of NewMarket closed at $155.94 (+3.24%) today, where they now feature a 1.54% dividend yield.

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