Dividend Contenders are stocks that have raised their dividends over a period of 10-25 years without a break. Roughly 144 stocks have achieved this goal. Dividend growth is often a good indicator for a healthy business. There are two reasons for growing dividends: The management want to participate shareholders at a prospering business or they serve cash and they don’t have an idea to invest this money with adequate returns. A stock price at all time high or at least at one year high underlines this thesis. I screened dividend contenders that have recently broken through a new 52-week high. These are the results sorted by dividend yield:

1. Plains All American Pipeline (PAA) has a market capitalization of $9.9 billion, generates revenues in an amount of $32.6 billion and a net income of $614.0 million. It follows P/E ratio is 15.8 and forward price to earnings ratio 16.5, Price/Sales 0.3 and Price/Book ratio 2.0. Dividend Yield: 6.0 percent. The company raised dividends for 11 years and is 0.27 percent above 52-Week High.

2. Southern Company (SO) has a market capitalization of $37.7 billion, generates revenues in an amount of $17.7 billion and a net income of $2.1 billion. It follows P/E ratio is 18.0 and forward price to earnings ratio 16.3, Price/Sales 2.1 and Price/Book ratio 2.2. Dividend Yield: 4.3 percent. The company raised dividends for 10 years and is 0.64 percent above 52-Week High.

3. Atmos Energy Corporation (ATO) has a market capitalization of $3.2 billion, generates revenues in an amount of $4.3 billion and a net income of $197.2 million. It follows P/E ratio is 16.3 and forward price to earnings ratio 14.5, Price/Sales 0.7 and Price/Book ratio 1.4. Dividend Yield: 3.8 percent. The company raised dividends for 23 years and is 0.23 percent above 52-Week High.

4. Transatlantic Holdings (TRH) has a market capitalization of $3.4 billion, generates revenues in an amount of $4.3 billion and a net income of $100.0 million. It follows P/E ratio is 36.4 and forward price to earnings ratio 9.0, Price/Sales 0.8 and Price/Book ratio 0.8. Dividend Yield: 1.6 percent. The company raised dividends for 21 years and is 0.11 percent below 52-Week High.

5. Fastenal Company (FAST) has a market capitalization of $12.0 billion, generates revenues in an amount of $2.6 billion and a net income of $335.6 million. It follows P/E ratio is 35.6 and forward price to earnings ratio 29.4, Price/Sales 4.5 and Price/Book ratio 8.5. Dividend Yield: 1.4 percent. The company raised dividends for 12 years and is 0.12 percent above 52-Week High.

6. Casey's General Stores (CASY) has a market capitalization of $2.0 billion, generates revenues in an amount of $6.2 billion and a net income of $96.7 million. It follows P/E ratio is 20.9 and forward price to earnings ratio 14.6, Price/Sales 0.3 and Price/Book ratio 4.5. Dividend Yield: 1.2 percent. The company raised dividends for 12 years and is 1.15 percent above 52-Week High.

7. Ross Stores (ROST) has a market capitalization of $10.4 billion, generates revenues in an amount of $8.2 billion and a net income of $604.4 million. It follows P/E ratio is 17.5 and forward price to earnings ratio 14.6, Price/Sales 1.3 and Price/Book ratio 7.3. Dividend Yield: 1.0 percent. The company raised dividends for 17 years and is 0.57 percent above 52-Week High.

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