The 11 Stocks With 50-Year Dividend Growth Streaks

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May 09, 2011
The eleven companies listed below have improved their annual dividend totals each of the last 50 years, putting them at the top of the Dividend Dynamo food chain. In other words, they’ve been giving shareholders consistent raises since before man landed on the moon, before President Kennedy was assassinated, and before the first computer video game was invented.

A Dividend Dynamo is a company that has raised its dividend for at least ten consecutive years, and there is no higher echelon than the “Class A” Dividend Dynamo. To see Dividend Dynamos that have been increasing their dividend for less than 50 years, check out Class B, Class C, Class D, and Class E.

CompanySymbol'11 ChangeCurrent Rate2010 DividendsSince
Diebold IncorporatedDBD3.70%1.120001.080001954
American States Water CompanyAWR7.69%1.120001.040001955
Dover CorporationDOV2.80%1.100001.070001956
Northwest Natural GasNWN3.57%1.740001.680001956
Emerson Electric Co.EMR2.22%1.380001.350001957
Genuine Parts CompanyGPC9.76%1.800001.640001957
Parker-Hannifin CorporationPH38.32%1.480001.070001957
The Procter & Gamble CompanyPG11.38%2.100001.885401957
3M CompanyMMM4.76%2.200002.100001959
Vectren CorporationVVC1.10%1.380001.365001960
Cincinnati Financial CorporationCINF0.63%1.600001.590001961
The first true year of each dividend growth is listed under the far-right column. A company’s dividend growth streak begins the first calendar year its annual dividend total exceeds the previous year’s. Simply initiating a dividend does not get the streak started.

Since the list is based on annual dividend totals, a company’s Dividend Dynamo status can only be adjusted at the end of each calendar year. But the list is groomed religiously, with each company’s current dividend rate adjusted when necessary. Each company’s dividend total for the previous year is also provided, for comparison purposes.