13 Companies Increasing Dividends

It was a massive week for corporate earnings, as dozens of high-profile companies told Wall Street how they performed in the third quarter. Big-cap market bellwethers such as Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and General Electric (NYSE:GE) disappointed, while Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) and McDonald�s (NYSE:MCD) bested expectations.

The market waxed and waned between bull and bear this week, as traders digested the competing earnings news. And in what has become a familiar exhortation during the past several months, word that European leaders are closer to agreeing on a deal to backstop Europe�s debt issues helped spur some buying. Against the backdrop of big earnings news and European debt discussions was a flood of companies increasing dividends. Here are 13 firms pumping out higher payouts to shareholders:

Barnes Group

Logistics services provider and aerospace components makers Barnes Group (NYSE:B) planned a flight for its quarterly dividend, increasing its payout by 25% to 10 cents per share. The new dividend is payable Dec. 9 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 30. The new dividend yield, based on the Oct. 20 closing price (the day Barnes announced the dividend) of $21.35, is 1.87%.

Brown & Brown

Insurance industry intermediary Brown & Brown (NYSE:BRO) moved to care for its shareholders by increasing its quarterly dividend 6.25% to 8.5 cents per share. The new boosted payout will be made on Nov. 16 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 2. The new dividend yield, based on the Oct. 19 closing price of $20, is 1.7%. Barnes made the announcement along with its earnings report, which showed a 5% increase in third-quarter revenue along with earnings per share that met expectations.

Cintas

Corporate uniform maker Cintas (NASDAQ:CTAS) stitched together a 10.2% increase in its annual dividend to 54 cents per share. The new payout will be made on Dec. 14 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 11. The new dividend yield, based on the Oct. 18 closing price of $29.25, is 1.85%. The company also said its board approved a new share repurchase program, authorizing it to buy back up to $500 million of Cintas common stock at market prices.

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Crestwood Midstream Partners L.P.

Natural gas pipeline operator Crestwood Midstream Partners L.P. (NYSE:CMLP) has raised its quarterly distribution to unitholders by 14.3% to 48 cents per share. The new distribution will be payable on Nov. 10 to unitholders of record as of Nov. 1. The new dividend yield, based on the Oct. 18 closing price of $26.97, is 7.12%. Separately, Crestwood announced a deal to acquire Tristate Sabine, LLC for $65 million in cash up front, and a deferred payment of approximately $8 million one year after the deal�s close.

Eaton Vance

Investment management firm Eaton Vance (NYSE:EV) invested in its shareholders this week, upping its quarterly payout by 5.6% to 19 cents per share. The new dividend is payable Nov. 15 to shareholders of record on Oct. 31. The new dividend yield, based on the Oct. 20 closing price of $24.27, is 2.97%. The increase marks the 31st consecutive fiscal year that the company has raised its dividend, which has grown at annual rate of 19% during that period.

Jabil Circuit

Electronic parts maker Jabil Circuit (NYSE:JBL) turned up the juice on its quarterly dividend, increasing the voltage on its payout by 14% to 8 cents per share. The new dividend is payable on Dec. 1 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 15. The new dividend yield, based on the Oct. 20 closing stock price of $19.30, is 1.66%. Separately, the company said its board has authorized the repurchase of up to $100 million worth of JBL common stock during the next 12 months.

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners L.P.

Natural gas pipeline behemoth Kinder Morgan Energy Partners L.P. (NYSE:KMP) increased its quarterly cash distribution by 5% to $1.16 per common unit. The enhanced payout will be made on Nov. 14 to unitholders of record as of Oct. 31. The new dividend yield, based on the Oct. 19 closing price of $76.18, is 6.09%. KMP has increased its distribution seven consecutive quarters and 42 times overall since current management took over in February of 1997. The company also announced that third-quarter profit fell because of costs related to an acquisition in July.

Magellan Midstream Partners L.P.

Energy asset MLP Magellan Midstream Partners L.P. (NYSE:MMP) upped its quarterly cash distribution by 7% to 80 cents per unit. The new distribution will be paid Nov. 14 to unitholders of record at the close of business on Nov. 1. The new dividend yield, based on the Oct. 18 closing price of $62.45, is 5.12%. The increased distribution to unitholders is the 38th distribution increase since the company became public in 2001. Magellan plans to announce its third-quarter earnings before the market opens on Wednesday, Nov. 2.

Markwest Energy Partners, L.P.

Natural gas transportation firm MarkWest Energy Partners L.P. (NYSE:MWE) sent a higher payout to unitholders, upping its distribution 14% to 73 cents per unit. The new distribution is payable Nov. 14, to unitholders of record as of Nov. 7. The new dividend yield, based on the Oct. 18 closing price of $47.09, is 6.2%.

Matthews International Corp.

Casket and funeral products provider Matthews International Corp. (NASDAQ:MATW) etched a higher dividend into its quarterly headstone, upping its payout 12.5% to 9 cents per share. The new dividend is payable Nov. 14 to shareholders of record as of Oct. 31. The new dividend yield, based on the Oct. 20 closing price of $33.65, is 1.07%.

Stepan Co.

Specialty chemical maker Stepan Co. (NYSE:SCL) mixed up a shiny new dividend for the next quarter, upping its payout 7.7% to 28 cents per share. The new dividend yield, based on the Oct. 19 closing price of $76.03, is 1.47%. It was the company�s 44th consecutive annual dividend increase. Stepan also reported Q3 net income that fell slightly, as higher sales were offset by increased spending from international expansion.

Watsco, Inc.

Air conditioning, heating and refrigeration equipment maker Watsco, Inc. (NYSE:WSO) turned up the thermostat on its quarterly dividend, upping its payout 9% to 62 cents per share. The new dividend will be reflected in the company�s next regular dividend payment in January 2012. The new dividend yield, based on the Oct. 20 closing stock price of $56.46, is 4.39%. The upbeat dividend news came along with a downbeat earnings report that saw Watsco�s EPS fall short of analysts� expectations.

Visa

Credit card issuer and electronic payment provider Visa (NYSE:V) charged up its quarterly payout to shareholders, raising its quarterly dividend a hefty 47% to 22 cents per share. The new dividend is payable Dec. 6 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 18. The new dividend yield, based on the Oct. 19 closing price of $90.08, is 0.98%.

As of this writing, Jim Woods did not own a position in any of the aforementioned stocks. Check out other companies increasing dividends in past weeks here.