Guru Stocks Raising Dividends: BF.B, NJR, CPB, NST

This is the group of companies who raised their dividend during the week: BrownForman Corp., New Jersey Resources Corp., Campbell Soup Company, and NSTAR

BrownForman Corp. (BF.B, Financial)

Brown-Forman Corporation is a producer and marketer of fine quality beverage alcohol brands. Brownforman Corp. has a market cap of $9.67 billion; its shares were traded at around $64.73 with a P/E ratio of 19.8 and P/S ratio of 2.8. This stock raised its quarterly dividend by 6.70% to 32 cents/share. The company has consistently raised dividends for 27 years in a row. Historically the payment from the November declaration has been made in early January of the following calendar year. However, with the uncertainty surrounding the renewal of the current dividend tax rates which expire on December 31, 2010, the company chose to accelerate the cash payment, which will result in five cash payments for calendar 2010. Yield: 2%


BrownForman Corp. is owned by Tom Gayner.

New Jersey Resources Corp. (NJR, Financial)

NJ RESOURCES is an exempt energy svcs holding company providing retail & wholesale natural gas & related energy services to customers from the Gulf Coast to New England. New Jersey Resources Corp. has a market cap of $1.78 billion; its shares were traded at around $43.19 with a P/E ratio of 18.4 and P/S ratio of 0.7. This stock raised its quarterly dividends by 5.90% to 36 cents/share. This marked the sixteenth consecutive annual dividend increase for the company. Yield: 3.50%.


New Jersey Resources reported earnings for the third quarter and first nine months of fiscal 2010. Third-quarter net financial earnings for fiscal 2010 were $11.6 million, or $.28 per share, an increase over quarterly net financial earnings of $1.2 million, or $.03 per share, during the same three-month period last fiscal year. Net income in the third quarter of fiscal 2010 at NJNG increased to $6.1 million, compared with $4.1 million in the same period last year.

Campbell Soup Company (CPB, Financial)

Campbell Soup Company, together with its consolidated subsidiaries, is a global manufacturer and marketer of high quality, branded convenience food products. Campbell Soup Company has a market cap of $11.46 billion; its shares were traded at around $34.14 with a P/E ratio of 14 and P/S ratio of 1.5. The company raised its quarterly dividend by 5% to 29 cents/share. This was the seventh consecutive year of dividend increases for Campbell Soup. Yield: 3.40%


Campbell Soup Company reported its results for the first quarter of fiscal 2011. Net earnings for the quarter ended Oct. 31, 2010, were $279 million, or $0.82 per share, compared with $304 million, or $0.87 per share, in the prior year. For the first quarter, sales decreased 1 percent to $2.172 billion.


Campbell Soup Company is owned by John Hussman, Mason Hawkins, and Tom Gayner.


President and CEO Douglas R Conant, Vice President Patrick Callaghan, and Senior Vice President Mark R. Alexander sold shares of CPB stock.

NSTAR (NST, Financial)

NSTAR was formed through a merger of BEC Energy and Commonwealth Energy System. Nstar has a market cap of $4.33 billion; its shares were traded at around $41.81 with a P/E ratio of 17.1 and P/S ratio of 1.4. This dividend achiever announced a 6.3% increase in its quarterly dividend to 42.50 cents/share. The company has raised dividends for 13 years in a row. Yield: 4.10%.


NSTAR is owned by Mario Gabelli.


VP, Controller & CAO Robert J Jr Weafer, SVP - Cust & Corp Relations Joseph R Jr Nolan, and ] SVP - Secretary & Genl Counsel Douglas S Horan sold shares of NST stock.