Sometimes,
predatory investors and some activists try to steal some of the company’s assets
and force a dividend payment which is much higher than the current earnings. Those
activities are bad for the stock price.
Good
dividend hikes are such ones that are in-line with a healthy growing
operational business. They reflect a solid growing business with a trustful management
who wants to share the company’s success with the ownership.
It’s
easy to discover good and bad dividend growth. All you need is to look at the earnings
developments and debt changes.
Today
I run my screen of the 50 fastest dividend growers from the recent month. Below
the results are again some pretty good stocks with very good growth rates. All stocks
have a double-digit growth rate. The average dividend growth of the 50 best
stocks amounts to 73.26 percent. The average yield is still at 3.77 percent.
Here are the stocks with fast dividend growth:
Here are the stocks with fast dividend growth:
Wells Fargo & Co (NYSE:WFC) has a market capitalization of $200.34 billion. The company employs 269,200 people, generates revenue of $48.391 billion and has a net income of $19.368 billion. The firm’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $34.879 billion. The EBITDA margin is 72.07 percent (the operating margin is 33.07 percent and the net profit margin 22.50 percent).
Financial Analysis: The total debt represents 12.97 percent of the company’s assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 117.14 percent. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 13.16 percent was realized. Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $3.53. Last fiscal year, the company paid $0.88 in the form of dividends to shareholders. WFC raised dividends by 20.0 percent.
Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 10.73, the P/S ratio is 2.33 and the P/B ratio is finally 1.38. The dividend yield amounts to 3.17 percent and the beta ratio has a value of 1.38.
 |
| Long-Term Stock Price Chart Of Wells Fargo & Co (WFC) |
 |
| Long-Term Dividend Payment History of Wells Fargo & Co (WFC) |
 |
| Long-Term Dividend Yield History of Wells Fargo & Co (WFC) |
Metlife (NYSE:MET) has a market capitalization of $42.14 billion. The company employs 64,000 people, generates revenue of $68.150 billion and has a net income of $1.314 billion. The firm’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $14.729 billion. The EBITDA margin is 21.61 percent (the operating margin is 2.12 percent and the net profit margin 1.93 percent).
Financial Analysis: The total debt represents 6.70 percent of the company’s assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 86.95 percent. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 1.89 percent was realized. Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $1.07. Last fiscal year, the company paid $0.74 in the form of dividends to shareholders. MET raised dividends by 48.6 percent.
Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 35.97, the P/S ratio is 0.62 and the P/B ratio is finally 0.65. The dividend yield amounts to 2.85 percent and the beta ratio has a value of 2.03.
 |
| Long-Term Stock Price Chart Of Metlife (MET) |
 |
| Long-Term Dividend Payment History of Metlife (MET) |
 |
| Long-Term Dividend Yield History of Metlife (MET) |
W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW) has a market capitalization of $17.05 billion. The company employs 21,100 people, generates revenue of $8.950 billion and has a net income of $698.85 million. The firm’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $1.290 billion. The EBITDA margin is 14.42 percent (the operating margin is 12.64 percent and the net profit margin 7.81 percent).
Financial Analysis: The total debt represents 11.26 percent of the company’s assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 18.67 percent. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 23.97 percent was realized. Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $9.88. Last fiscal year, the company paid $3.06 in the form of dividends to shareholders. GWW raised dividends by 16.3 percent.
Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 24.81, the P/S ratio is 1.91 and the P/B ratio is finally 5.63. The dividend yield amounts to 1.52 percent and the beta ratio has a value of 0.88.
 |
| Long-Term Stock Price Chart Of W.W. Grainger (GWW) |
 |
| Long-Term Dividend Payment History of W.W. Grainger (GWW) |
 |
| Long-Term Dividend Yield History of W.W. Grainger (GWW) |
Take a closer look at the full list of the 50 top stocks with fastest dividend growth from last month. The average P/E ratio amounts to 16.17. The dividend yield has a value of 2.16 percent. Price to book ratio is 2.41 and price to sales ratio 2.96.
Here is the full list of the fastest dividend growth stocks:
 |
| 50 Fastest Growing Dividend Stocks (Click to enlarge) |
These are the market price ratios:
Ticker
|
Company
|
P/E
|
P/S
|
P/B
|
Dividend Yield
|
PDH
|
PetroLogistics LP
|
N/A
|
2.57
|
5.83
|
8.11%
|
VOC
|
VOC Energy Trust
|
6.20
|
6.06
|
1.89
|
7.66%
|
NIF
|
Nuveen Premier Insured Municipal Income Fund
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
5.70%
|
NEA
|
Nuveen Insured Tax-Free
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
5.63%
|
NPX
|
Nuveen Insured Premium Income Municipal Fund 2
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
5.27%
|
NDRO
|
Enduro Royalty Trust
|
8.95
|
8.79
|
0.82
|
4.32%
|
ORIT
|
Oritani Financial Corp.
|
18.23
|
5.46
|
1.36
|
3.92%
|
DKL
|
Delek Logistics Partners, LP
|
10.32
|
0.69
|
6.74
|
3.07%
|
FCF
|
First Commonwealth Financial Corp.
|
17.37
|
3.22
|
0.92
|
2.88%
|
MET
|
MetLife, Inc.
|
36.01
|
0.62
|
0.65
|
2.85%
|
HBAN
|
Huntington Bancshares Incorporated
|
10.01
|
3.13
|
1.02
|
2.81%
|
SASR
|
Sandy Spring Bancorp Inc.
|
13.03
|
3.46
|
1.03
|
2.77%
|
STSA
|
Sterling Financial Corp.
|
3.44
|
3.53
|
1.09
|
2.76%
|
JNS
|
Janus Capital Group, Inc.
|
15.07
|
1.96
|
1.15
|
2.75%
|
DES
|
WisdomTree SmallCap Dividend
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
2.66%
|
WFC
|
Wells Fargo & Company
|
10.73
|
4.19
|
1.24
|
2.64%
|
AAPL
|
Apple Inc.
|
9.96
|
2.32
|
2.89
|
2.54%
|
DON
|
WisdomTree MidCap Dividend
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
2.48%
|
AMP
|
Ameriprise Financial Inc.
|
14.21
|
1.43
|
1.65
|
2.45%
|
SUSQ
|
Susquehanna Bancshares, Inc.
|
13.47
|
3.08
|
0.81
|
2.45%
|
PEBO
|
Peoples Bancorp Inc.
|
11.18
|
3.16
|
0.93
|
2.41%
|
STEL
|
StellarOne Corporation
|
14.98
|
2.94
|
0.78
|
2.18%
|
WHR
|
Whirlpool Corp.
|
16.60
|
0.51
|
2.05
|
2.15%
|
ALSN
|
Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc.
|
8.22
|
1.96
|
3.08
|
2.11%
|
WGP
|
Western Gas Equity Partners, LP
|
N/A
|
8.92
|
8.32
|
2.08%
|
DFS
|
Discover Financial Services
|
9.91
|
3.23
|
2.24
|
1.82%
|
WBS
|
Webster Financial Corp.
|
12.14
|
2.99
|
0.97
|
1.75%
|
CFNL
|
Cardinal Financial Corp.
|
10.25
|
4.20
|
1.47
|
1.57%
|
HOMB
|
Home Bancshares, Inc. (Conway, AR)
|
16.87
|
6.09
|
2.10
|
1.52%
|
LM
|
Legg Mason Inc.
|
N/A
|
1.55
|
0.81
|
1.42%
|
OII
|
Oceaneering International, Inc.
|
23.16
|
2.48
|
3.93
|
1.32%
|
GWW
|
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
|
24.82
|
1.89
|
5.30
|
1.30%
|
NRG
|
NRG Energy, Inc.
|
12.58
|
1.07
|
0.88
|
1.29%
|
FRC
|
First Republic Bank
|
12.76
|
3.73
|
1.40
|
1.28%
|
AOS
|
AO Smith Corp.
|
22.91
|
1.83
|
2.84
|
1.27%
|
AIMC
|
Altra Holdings, Inc.
|
28.24
|
0.94
|
2.96
|
1.25%
|
AYT
|
Barclays GEMS Asia-8 ETN
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
1.21%
|
PEOP
|
Peoples Federal Bancshares, Inc.
|
80.61
|
6.07
|
1.13
|
0.86%
|
LAD
|
Lithia Motors Inc.
|
17.08
|
0.36
|
2.49
|
0.82%
|
STI
|
SunTrust Banks, Inc.
|
7.69
|
2.76
|
0.74
|
0.69%
|
ZION
|
Zions Bancorp.
|
18.36
|
2.23
|
0.70
|
0.66%
|
CE
|
Celanese Corporation
|
13.49
|
1.19
|
4.14
|
0.63%
|
RF
|
Regions Financial Corp.
|
9.96
|
3.10
|
0.75
|
0.48%
|
WINA
|
Winmark Corp.
|
23.61
|
5.72
|
13.91
|
0.26%
|
CTO
|
Consolidated Tomoka Land Co.
|
N/A
|
12.63
|
1.83
|
0.11%
|
DKL
|
Delek Logistics Partners, LP
|
10.32
|
0.69
|
6.74
|
3.07%
|
CVX
|
Chevron Corporation
|
9.01
|
0.96
|
1.71
|
3.00%
|
DEST
|
Destination Maternity Corporation
|
14.78
|
0.58
|
2.94
|
3.00%
|
PCBK
|
Pacific Continental Corp.
|
15.71
|
3.46
|
1.05
|
2.95%
|
FCF
|
First Commonwealth Financial Corp.
|
17.37
|
3.15
|
0.93
|
2.88%
|
JNJ
|
Johnson & Johnson
|
23.19
|
3.47
|
3.65
|
2.87%
|
CNL
|
Cleco Corporation
|
17.83
|
2.95
|
1.94
|
2.80%
|
SASR
|
Sandy Spring Bancorp Inc.
|
13.03
|
3.46
|
1.03
|
2.77%
|
STSA
|
Sterling Financial Corp.
|
3.53
|
3.47
|
1.11
|
2.76%
|
JNS
|
Janus Capital Group, Inc.
|
15.89
|
1.96
|
1.16
|
2.75%
|
UN
|
Unilever NV
|
20.67
|
1.85
|
5.93
|
2.65%
|
WFC
|
Wells Fargo & Company
|
10.73
|
4.19
|
1.24
|
2.64%
|
AVY
|
Avery Dennison Corporation
|
25.43
|
0.69
|
2.62
|
2.61%
|
XOM
|
Exxon Mobil Corporation
|
9.08
|
0.87
|
2.39
|
2.59%
|
CBIN
|
Community Bank Shares of Indiana Inc.
|
7.57
|
1.61
|
0.61
|
2.56%
|
AAPL
|
Apple Inc.
|
9.46
|
2.38
|
3.08
|
2.54%
|
GLW
|
Corning Inc.
|
12.37
|
2.62
|
0.97
|
2.53%
|
AMP
|
Ameriprise Financial Inc.
|
15.80
|
1.45
|
1.65
|
2.45%
|
PEBO
|
Peoples Bancorp Inc.
|
10.26
|
3.09
|
0.95
|
2.41%
|
ATLS
|
Atlas Energy, L.P
|
N/A
|
1.71
|
5.60
|
2.36%
|
SXT
|
Sensient Technologies Corporation
|
16.50
|
1.32
|
1.67
|
2.28%
|
STEL
|
StellarOne Corporation
|
15.29
|
2.92
|
0.78
|
2.18%
|
TRV
|
The Travelers Companies, Inc.
|
13.56
|
1.25
|
1.27
|
2.16%
|
FFIN
|
First Financial Bankshares Inc.
|
20.53
|
9.56
|
2.72
|
2.06%
|
PH
|
Parker Hannifin Corporation
|
13.19
|
1.01
|
2.49
|
1.94%
|
AHL
|
Aspen Insurance Holdings Ltd.
|
11.07
|
1.14
|
0.76
|
1.81%
|
MEOH
|
Methanex Corp.
|
N/A
|
1.50
|
3.09
|
1.75%
|
WBS
|
Webster Financial Corp.
|
12.14
|
2.99
|
0.97
|
1.75%
|
DGICB
|
Donegal Group Inc.
|
16.77
|
1.99
|
2.18
|
1.69%
|
LM
|
Legg Mason Inc.
|
N/A
|
1.55
|
0.81
|
1.42%
|
HUM
|
Humana Inc.
|
9.84
|
0.30
|
1.32
|
1.42%
|
HOMB
|
Home Bancshares, Inc. (Conway, AR)
|
16.87
|
6.09
|
2.10
|
1.32%
|
GWW
|
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
|
24.82
|
1.89
|
5.30
|
1.30%
|
NRG
|
NRG Energy, Inc.
|
12.58
|
1.07
|
0.88
|
1.29%
|
AIMC
|
Altra Holdings, Inc.
|
28.24
|
0.94
|
2.96
|
1.25%
|
NBL
|
Noble Energy, Inc.
|
20.80
|
4.73
|
2.42
|
0.90%
|
LAD
|
Lithia Motors Inc.
|
18.94
|
0.38
|
2.92
|
0.82%
|
STI
|
SunTrust Banks, Inc.
|
7.69
|
2.76
|
0.74
|
0.69%
|
CE
|
Celanese Corporation
|
13.49
|
1.19
|
4.14
|
0.63%
|
MET
|
MetLife, Inc.
|
36.01
|
0.62
|
0.65
|
0.49%
|
RF
|
Regions Financial Corp.
|
11.16
|
3.03
|
0.76
|
0.48%
|
WINA
|
Winmark Corp.
|
23.61
|
5.72
|
13.91
|
0.26%
|
ZION
|
Zions Bancorp.
|
24.99
|
2.19
|
0.74
|
0.17%
|
CTO
|
Consolidated Tomoka Land Co.
|
N/A
|
12.63
|
1.91
|
0.11%
|
Average
|
16.17
|
2.96
|
2.41
|
2.16%
|
Related
Stock Ticker:
DES,MYP,WGP,ZION,RF,PDH,NDRO,DON,STI,ALSN,VOC,GLDI,NPX,DKL,CTO,WBS,MET,NEA,NIF,DFS,AYT,STSA,PEOP,NRG,PGD,LAD,AIMC,STEL,HBAN,WINA,TCBC,WHR,OAKS,OII,CE,WFC,CFNL,AOS,FCF,FRC,LM,JNS,PEBO,ORIT,GWW,AMP,HOMB,AAPL,SASR,SUSQ
Selected
Articles:
* I
have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any
positions within the next 72 hours. I receive no compensation to write about
any specific stock, sector or theme.