Guru Stocks Raising Dividends: Lowe's Companies Inc., H.J. Heinz Company, SEI Investments Company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., Deere & Company

This is the group of companies who raised their dividend during the week: Lowe's Companies Inc., H.J. Heinz Company, SEI Investments Company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., and Deere & Company.

Lowe's Companies Inc. (LOW, Financial)

Lowe's Companies Inc. is a retailer of home improvement products in the world, with specific emphasis on retail do-it-yourself and commercial business customers. Lowe's Companies Inc. has a market cap of $33.95 billion; its shares were traded at around $23.52 with a P/E ratio of 18.8 and P/S ratio of 0.7. The company raised its quarterly dividend by 22% from $0.09 to $0.11 cents/share. This dividend aristocrathas raised dividends for 49 consecutive years. The stock yields 1.70%.


Lowe's Companies Inc. is owned by Arnold Van Den Bergm, PRIMECAP Management, and Richard Pzena.


EVP-CFO Robert F Jr Hull, SVP, Genl Counsel, Secty, CCO Gaither M Jr Keener, and Director Robert Alexander Ingram sold shares of LOW stock.

H.J. Heinz Company (HNZ, Financial)

H. J. Heinz Company and its subsidiaries manufacture and market an extensive line of processed food products throughout the world. H.j. Heinz Company has a market cap of $13.87 billion; its shares were traded at around $43.85 with a P/E ratio of 15.3 and P/S ratio of 0.3. This dividend stock has consistently raised distributions since 2004. The H. J. Heinz Company had been a member of the S&P dividend aristocrats index between 1990 and 2002, before it cut its distributions in 2003. The stock yields 4.10%.


H.J. Heinz Company reported fourth-quarter results for Fiscal 2010 as the Company delivered dynamic double-digit organic sales growth in Emerging Markets. For the full year, sales grew 4.8% to a record $10.5 billion, operating income increased 3.8% and the Company generated record operating free cash flow of $1.08 billion while contributing over $500 million to its pension plans.


H.J. Heinz Company is owned by Mark Hillman, Bill Nygren, and Kenneth Fisher.


EVP - President & CEO Europe David Charles Moran, EVP and CFO Arthur B Winkleblack, and Senior Vice President Michael D Milone sold shares of EVP stock.

SEI Investments Company (SEIC, Financial)

SEI Investments is a global provider of asset management and investment technology solutions. Sei Investments Company has a market cap of $3.98 billion; its shares were traded at around $20.97 with a P/E ratio of 20.2 and P/S ratio of 3.7. SEI Investments (SEIC) announced a 10% increase in its semi-annual dividend from $0.09 to $0.10 per share. The company has raised dividends for 19 consecutive years. This dividend achiever yields 0.95%.


SEI Investments Company announced financial results for first-quarter 2010, reporting an increase in net income attributable to SEI, and diluted earnings per share compared to first-quarter 2009. Diluted earnings per share were $0.31. Earnings were positively affected as a result of an increase in value of Structured Investment Vehicle (SIV) securities held on the company’s balance sheet due to cash flow from, and market appreciation of, the securities. SEI Investments Company is owned by Ruane Cunniff.


Director Richard Lieb, Director Carmen Romeo, and Executive Vice President Wayne Withrow sold shares of SEIC stock.

UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH, Financial)

UnitedHealth Group Inc. offers health care coverage and related services to help people achieve improved health and well-being through all stages of life. Unitedhealth Group Inc. has a market cap of $35.12 billion; its shares were traded at around $30.34 with a P/E ratio of 8.9 and P/S ratio of 0.4. The company sharply raised its annual dividend from 3 cents to 50 cents/share and switched to paying distributions every quarter. The stock yields 1.70%.


UnitedHealth Group reported first quarter results, including better-than-projected membership and services growth and effective cost management across its businesses. UnitedHealth Group Inc. is owned by George Soros, Donald Yacktman, and Richard Perry. Revenues of $23.2 billion increased 5% year-over-year. The company reports net earnings of $1.03 per share.

Deere & Company (DE, Financial)

Deere & Company is the one world's foremost producers of agricultural equipment as well as a manufacturer of construction, forestry, and commercial and consumer equipment. Deere & Company has a market cap of $24.12 billion; its shares were traded at around $56.88 with a P/E ratio of 17 and P/S ratio of 1. The company raised quarterly distributions by 7% to 30 cents/share. While this was the first quarterly increase since 2008, the company’s annual dividend has consistently increased since 2004. The stock yields 2.10%.


Net income attributable to Deere & Company was $547.5 million, or $1.28 per share, for the second quarter ended April 30, compared with $472.3 million, or $1.11 per share, for the same period last year. Worldwide net sales and revenues increased 6 percent, to $7.131 billion, for the second quarter and were up 1 percent to $11.966 billion for six months.


Deere & Company is owned by PRIMECAP Management, Dodge & Cox, and Kenneth Fisher.


Senior Vice President & CFO James M. Field, Senior V.P. & General Counsel James R Jenkins, and Pres.Ag&Turf Div.N/A,Aust,Asia David C Everitt sold shares of DE stock.


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