Pfizer (PFE) Maintains Dividend and High Yield

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2009 was a disappointing year for Pfizer when the company cut its dividend by 50%. Since that cut Pfizer has been trying to repair its image with dividend investors and grow its dividend back to previous levels. Yesterday Pfizer announced that its dividend will stay stable in 2012 with another quarterly dividend of $.22 per share giving the stock a yield of 3.9%. The dividend will be payable on September 5th with an ex-dividend date of August 1st. To qualify to receive the dividend an investor must own the stock at the close of trading the day before the ex-dividend date.

PFE Dividend Fundamentals

Pfizer has a dividend yield of 3.9% which is lower than its 5 year yield average of 5.3%. The company has a 3 year dividend growth rate of 10% and a payout ratio of 68%. The company started paying dividends in 1901 and has increased its dividend for 3 consecutive years.

About Pfizer

Pfizer is a global bio-pharmaceutical company that manages a large portfolio of healthcare related services and products. The company operates in multiple segments including primary care, health products and Animal care. PFE has a P/E Ratio of 21 and a Market Cap of $171B. The stock is up 10% in the last 12 months and 5% so far in 2012.

Pfizer is not ranked on our top 100 best dividend list. To get more information about Pfizer or other healthcare stocks visit our healthcare dividend stock page.

Darden Restaurants (DRI) Shows Its Strength with Dividend Hike

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Darden Restaurants raised its dividend again for the 8th consecutive year today by announcing a new quarterly dividend of $.50 per share or $2.00 per year. The new dividend is payable on August 1st with an ex-dividend date of July 25th. This gives Darden a dividend yield of 3.4%. The dividend increase should come as no surprise to investors who are used to seeing the company boost its dividend in the 3rd quarter. This new dividend is a 16.3% increase over the previous quarterly dividend.

Darden Dividend Fundamentals

DRI has fairly solid dividend fundamentals. The 8 consecutive years of dividend increases and 3.4% yield are very attractive. So is the low payout ratio of 46 and the three year net income ratio of 8%. DRI also has a 5 year dividend growth rate of 25%. The only number holding DRI back from a higher DSO rating is its low free cash flow yield of just 2%, which is lower than its dividend yield. After this dividend increase it seems that management is still confident it its ability to drive revenue and pay the dividend.

About Darden Restaurants

Darden owns and operates many different restaurant chains like Red Lobster, Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse. In total the company owns over 1800 different restaurants in the US and Canadian. The company has a P/E ratio of 14.45 and a market cap just over $6B. In the last 12 months DRI stock is up 2%. It is up 8.75% so far in 2012.

Darden is not one of the top 100 stocks on our best dividend stocks list.

Procter & Gamble Downgraded After Earnings Warning

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Hillard Lyons suspended its $77 price on Proctor & Gamble target today and cuts its rating from long-term buy to neutral. The firm said the downgrade was based on the company’s warning on its fourth quarter earnings results. PG said that the 4th quarter would be impacted by slowing growth based on negative impacts from foreign exchange rate changes.

Dividend Fundamentals

PG has a solid dividend history and is considered one of the more dependable long term dividend-paying stocks. Today’s downgrade will come as a disappointment to many investors. The company started paying dividends in 1891 and has increased its dividend for 58 consecutive years. It currently pays an annual dividend of $2.25 which gives it a yield of 3.4%, slightly higher than its 5 year yield average of 3%. PG has a payout ratio of 66% and a 5 year dividend growth rate of 10%.

Procter & Gamble has had flat income growth over the last 5 years which is what keeps it ranked #99 on our best 100 list. In fact it only makes the list because of the other solid dividend fundamentals and is one of few stocks on the list with flat income growth rate.

About Procter & Gamble

PG has a P/E ratio of 18.51 and a market cap of $165B. The stock is down over 7% in the last 12 months and more than 9% so far in 2012. Procter & Gamble makes packaged consumer goods products that are sold in 180 different countries. To find other consumer goods dividend stocks go here.

Annaly Capital (NLY) Does Not Boost Dividend In 3rd Quarter

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For the first time in 5 years Annaly Capital did not increase its dividend during Q3 distributions. While each quarter represents a different distribution amount for the company this is the first time we have seen the 3rd distribution of the year match the 2nd.

Dividend Fundamentals

NLY announced today that the company will pay a quarterly dividend of $.55 per share on July 26th with an ex-dividend date of June 27th. This gives the REIT a dividend yield of 13.1% which right on par with its 5 year yield average. The company has a 5 year dividend growth rate of 35% and a 3 year dividend growth rate of 5%. Because the company is a REIT we are not concerned with its high payout ratio.

About Annaly Capital

NLY is down 8% in the last 12 months and has a market cap of 16.5B. The company operates as a REIT manages and invests in a portfolio of real estate investments. NLY and other REITs can be found on our high yield REIT list.