Guru Stocks Raising Dividends: Altria Group Inc., Kimberly-Clark Corp., The Chubb Corp., CenturyTel Inc., Piedmont Natural Gas Company

This is the group of companies who raised their dividend during the week: Altria Group Inc. (MO, Financial), KimberlyClark Corp. (KMB, Financial), The Chubb Corp. (CB, Financial), CenturyTel Inc. (CTL, Financial), and Piedmont Natural Gas Company Inc. (PNY, Financial).

Altria Group Inc. (MO)

Altria Group is the parent company of Philip Morris USA, U. Altria Group Inc. has a market cap of $42.92 billion; its shares were traded at around $20.71 with a P/E ratio of 11.7 and P/S ratio of 1.8. The dividend yield of Altria Group Inc. stocks is 6.6%. Altria Group Inc. had an annual average earning growth of 3.4% over the past 10 years. The company’s board of directors raised its quarterly dividend by 2.90% to 35 cents/share. This is the 43rd consecutive dividend increase for Altria Group. The company does have a policy to return approximately 75% of earnings to shareholders in the form of cash distributions. Stock currently yields 7%. (analysis)

Altria Group, Inc. announced 2009 fourth-quarter reported diluted earnings per share (EPS) increased 6.1% to $0.35 versus $0.33 in the prior-year period.

Donald Yacktman, Tom Gayner, Jean-Marie Eveillard, Tweedy Browne, and Kenneth Fisher own shares of MO stock.

President & CEO, USSTC Peter P. Paoli, Director Elizabeth E Bailey, and EVP & General Counsel Denise F. Keane sold shares of MO stock.

KimberlyClark Corp. (KMB)

Kimberly-Clark Corporation is one of the consumer products companies. Kimberlyclark Corp. has a market cap of $24.97 billion; its shares were traded at around $60.11 with a P/E ratio of 12.7 and P/S ratio of 1.3. The dividend yield of Kimberlyclark Corp. stocks is 3.9%. Kimberlyclark Corp. had an annual average earning growth of 4.9% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated Kimberlyclark Corp. the business predictability rank of 3.5-star. The company’s board of directors raised distributions by 10% to 66 cents/share. This is the 38th consecutive annual dividend increase for this dividend aristocrat. The stock yields 4.40%. (analysis)

Kimberly-Clark Corporation reported that net sales in the fourth quarter of 2009 increased 8.4 percent to $5.0 billion, including an approximate 5 percent benefit from stronger foreign currency exchange rates. Organic sales rose nearly 3 percent, driven by higher sales volumes of about 2 percent and increased net selling prices of approximately 2 percent, while changes in product mix were unfavorable by about 1 percent.

Brian Rogers and Robert Olstein own shares of KMB stock.

Chairman of the Board and CEO Thomas J Falk, Senior VP & CFO Mark A Buthman , and Director Robert W Decherd sold shares of KMB stock.

The Chubb Corp. (CB)

Chubb Corporation is a holding company with subsidiaries principally engaged in the property and casualty insurance business. The Chubb Corp. has a market cap of $17.63 billion; its shares were traded at around $51.62 with a P/E ratio of 8.4 and P/S ratio of 1.4. The dividend yield of The Chubb Corp. stocks is 2.7%. The Chubb Corp. had an annual average earning growth of 7.8% over the past 5 years. The company raised its quarterly dividend by 5.7% to 37 cents/share. This was the 45th consecutive annual dividend increase for this dividend aristocrat. The stock currently yields 2.90%. (analysis)

The Chubb Corporation has reported a 2009 Q4 net income of $695 million, compared to $407 million in the same quarter of 2008.

Net income for 2009 was $2.2 billion, compared to $1.8 billion in 2008.

Net written premiums for the fourth quarter were $2.8 billion, a decline of 4%.

Robert Olstein, George Soros, David Dreman, and Brian Rogers own shares of CB stock.

Chairman, President and C.E.O. John D Finnegan, Executive Vice President Andrew A Jr Mcelwee, and Vice Chairman John J Degnan sold shares of CB.

CenturyTel Inc. (CTL)

CenturyTel, Inc. is a regional diversified communications company engaged primarily in providing local exchange telephone services and wireless telephone communications services. Centurytel Inc. has a market cap of $9.93 billion; its shares were traded at around $33.38 with a P/E ratio of 9.5 and P/S ratio of 2.1. The dividend yield of Centurytel Inc. stocks is 8.4%. Centurytel Inc. had an annual average earning growth of 10.8% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated Centurytel Inc. the business predictability rank of 5-star. The company raised its quarterly distributions by 3.60% to 72.50 cents/share. This increase would represent the 37th consecutive year where this dividend aristocrat has boosted annual distributions to shareholders. The stock currently yields 8.50%.

CenturyLink announces operating results for fourth quarter 2009, which include the effect of the Embarq acquisition completed July 1, 2009.Net income, excluding nonrecurring items, was $286.7 million in fourth quarter 2009 compared to $87.0 million in fourth quarter 2008, primarily driven by the Embarq acquisition. Diluted earnings per share, excluding nonrecurring items, was $.95 for fourth quarter 2009, a 9.2% increase from the $.87 reported in fourth quarter 2008. This increase was primarily due to the higher net income as discussed above, partially offset by the 202.5% increase in average diluted shares outstanding as a result of our all-stock acquisition of Embarq.

George Soros and David Dreman own shares of CTL stock.

CEO and President Glen F Post Iii, Ex. VP & CFO R Stewart Jr Ewing, and Director C G Jr Melville bought shares of CTL stock.

Piedmont Natural Gas Company Inc. (PNY)

Piedmont Natural Gas Co, Inc., is an energy and services company engaged in the transportation and sale of natural gas and the sale of propane to residential, commercial and industrial customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Piedmont Natural Gas Company Inc. has a market cap of $1.96 billion; its shares were traded at around $26.74 with a P/E ratio of 16 and P/S ratio of 1.2. The dividend yield of Piedmont Natural Gas Company Inc. stocks is 4%. Piedmont Natural Gas Company Inc. had an annual average earning growth of 3.6% over the past 10 years. The company boosted distributions by 3.70% to 28 cent/share, marking the 32nd consecutive annual dividend increase. This high yield dividend aristocrat yields 4.30%.

Kenneth Fisher owns 10,975 shares as of 12/31/2009, which accounts for less than 0.01% of the $31.32 billion portfolio of Fisher Asset Management, LLC.