Below is a list of companies in the United States that have increased their dividends in the month of April.
The companies we list are not the complete list of companies that have increased their dividends in Canada and the United States or the rest of the world however, they are companies we follow or own.
US Companies
| Company | Previous ($) | New ($) | Change (%) |
| Apple Inc. | 0.22 | 0.23 | 4.55 |
| Costco Wholesale | 0.79 | 0.90 | 13.9 |
| Johnson & Johnson | 1.06 | 1.130 | 6.6 |
| Raytheon Technologies | 0.51 | 0.55 | 7.84 |
| Procter & Gamble | 0.8698 | 0.9133 | 5.0 |
The dollar value listed per share represents a quarterly dividend payment.
Information was obtained from the companies directly.
History of Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble recently increased their quarterly dividend from $0.8698 to $0.9133 which is an increase of 5%. The company now pays an annual dividend of $3.65 per share. P&G has paid dividends for 131 years and has increased its dividend for 65 consecutive years.
In 1837, Procter & Gamble was founded by William Procter and James Gamble. William was a British candle maker and James was an Irish soap maker. They merged their businesses together in Cincinnati which was the beginning of what we now know as P&G. The company sold their products during the American Civil War to the Union Army and continued to sell their products after the end of the war.
Since 1837, the company continued to expand and sell a variety of products. One of the first of their products that is still being sold today is Ivory Soap which was introduced in 1879. It was revolutionary at the time because the bar of soap floated and since people were bathing in murky local rivers and streams, it was a very useful innovation.
Another P&G innovation was Vicks VapoRub. In 1894, a pharmacist’s infant son became ill and created an externally-applied salve which releases cough-soothing vapors when it is heated by the body. It is now produced and used around the world. It has definitely rubbed people the right way!
In 1911, Crisco shortening was introduced. Crisco is now a staple in kitchens across the globe. It was the first shortening that is made entirely of vegetable oil. Thereafter, Tide was introduced in 1946, which is now a widely known and used brand today. Tide was the very first synthetic laundry detergent and it since has been transformed into a multitude of different products. The use of Tide and washing machines was radical because it helped reduce the workload within the household and allowed women to get jobs outside the home.
As the 21st century began, Procter & Gamble was advertising products for several key areas including wellness, house and home, personal and beauty, baby and family, and pet care/pet foods. Some of their brands that you will likely recognize are Oral-B, Gillette, Head & Shoulders, Always, Febreze, Cascade, Swiffer, Pantene, Old Spice, and many more.
In 1961, Procter & Gamble created a disposable diaper which was the start of their brand, Pampers. A P&G researcher was watching his grandchild and realized that cloth diapers were messy and were difficult to carry home. At first, a disposable diaper was created that initially required pins and since then has been modified to use tape, are thinner, more cloth like, and specialized for the different stages of development of babies.
Procter & Gamble is an innovative company that is continually creating and producing products that we use every day. Personally, I could probably find a P&G product in every room of my house. Due to their profitability, they are able to reward their shareholders by paying them a quarterly dividend. They not only help us in our everyday lives with their useful products but P&G also provides shareholders with a source of income. A fun fact about the company is they are one of the leading issuers of free samples and discount coupons.
“How will you replace your current income in retirement?”™ - Jim Seyers