When it comes to dividend investing, the fact that a stock
pays a dividend is only one part of the equation. There are other
factors that investors need to consider such as the company's
ability to continue paying the dividend and the ability to grow
the dividend over time.
Regarding dividend growth, this is an essential component to
income investing because, over the long-term, reinvestment of
steadily growing payouts can make a significant difference on a
portfolio's overall returns.
Really, it is simple math. Say Bob owns two stocks today, both
of which yield four percent with annual dividend of $1 per share.
All other factors being equal, Stock A proceeds to increase its
payout by an average of eight percent per year over the next
decade.
On the other hand, Stock B is not a chronic dividend raiser.
Over the next 10 years, the company only commits to two or three
dividend increases. Chances are that Stock A will have delivered
superior returns to Bob. With that in mind, consider the
following names that have lengthy dividend increase streaks that
also have a tendency to fly under the radar relative to other
serial dividend raisers such as Coca-Cola (NYSE:
KO
) and Procter & Gamble (NYSE:
PG
).
Mine Safety Appliances (NYSE:
MSA
) Pennsylvania-based Mine Safety Appliances produces health and
safety products used by the military, fire departments, homeland
security and other law-enforcement personnel. The company also
sells its products to mining companies, such as coal producers,
and weakness in that sector does represent one potential risk to
the Mine Safety storing going forward.
With a market cap of $1.6 billion, Mine Safety makes for a
credible addition to a portfolio that needs some small-cap
dividend exposure. The payout ratio of 46 percent is not overly
taxing. On the other hand, the yield of 2.5 percent is not
thrilling. Still, it is worth noting that the eight percent
payout increase Mine Safety
delivered in the second quarter of 2012
extended the payout increase streak to 40 years. The shares have
surged almost 29 percent in the past year.
SJW Corp. (NYSE:
SJW
) California-based SJW is about as boring of a company as an
investor could hope to find. Although the company is based near
the Silicon Valley, home to some of the sexiest names in U.S.
business, SJW simply engages in the production, purchase,
storage, purification, distribution, wholesale, and retail sale
of water.
The payout ratio of 58 percent is knocking on the door of
being troublesome, but what investors will really want to
consider here is
SJW's long-term debt/equity ratio of 1.24
. That could be a sign the company is using debt sales to fuel
dividend growth. SJW's dividend increase now rests at 44 years
following three percent hike a year ago.
Genesis Energy LP (NYSE:
GEL
) Investors that are familiar with master limited partnerships
(MLPs) will not be surprised to see one on this list. What may be
surprising is that the MLP in consideration is not one of the
group's biggest names such as Enterprise Products (NYSE:
EPD
) or Kinder Morgan (NYSE:
KMP
). With a market cap of $3.1 billion, Genesis Energy is far cry
from being as big as many of the MLPs investors are most familiar
with.
However, with a yield of 5.1 percent, Genesis yields 30 basis
points more than Enterprise Products and 110 basis points more
than Magellan Midstream (NYSE:
MMP
). The units have risen 31.6 percent in the past year and on top
of that stellar capital appreciation, Genesis has a dividend
increase streak going of 30 consecutive quarters.
This MLP's quarterly distribution has more than tripled since
late 2005.
(c) 2013 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment
advice. All rights reserved.
Gain access to more investing ideas, tools & education.
Get Started on Marketfy, the first ever curated
& verified Marketplace for everything trading.