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Income Investing: 3 Companies Consistently Boosting Payouts

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Investors love few things more than consistent, reliable dividend payouts. After all, who doesn’t love getting paid?

Of course, income-focused investors commonly gravitate toward stocks with a history of dividend growth, as the payouts can quickly add up.

Three companies – Caterpillar (CAT - Free Report) , The TJX Companies (TJX - Free Report) , and Lockheed Martin (LMT - Free Report) – have all displayed a shareholder-friendly nature with a track record of increased payouts.

In addition, all three have enjoyed positive earnings estimate revisions, indicating near-term optimism among analysts. For those interested in reaping a passive income stream, let’s take a closer look at each.

Caterpillar

Caterpillar is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives. The stock sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), with earnings estimates increasing across the board.

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Caterpillar holds the rank of a Dividend Aristocrat, reflecting an unparalleled commitment to shareholders through 25+ years of increased payouts. Shares currently yield 2.1% annually, nicely above the Zacks Industrial Products sector average.

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In addition, the company continues to buy back its shares at a rapid pace, another shareholder-friendly move. Just in 2022, Caterpillar authorized a sizable $15 billion share repurchase program.

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The TJX Companies

The TJX Companies is a leading off-price apparel and home fashion retailer in the U.S. and worldwide. The company’s earnings outlook has improved across several timeframes, helping land it into a favorable Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

TJX’s payout has grown by an impressive 11% over the last five years, with shares currently yielding 1.6% annually. Further, the company’s 37% payout ratio resides on the sustainable side.

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The company continues to grow steadily, with estimates calling for 15% earnings growth on 7% higher revenues in its current fiscal year (FY24). And in FY25, earnings and revenue are forecasted to see growth of 10% and 5%, respectively.

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TJX’s 62.8% trailing twelve-month return on equity is certainly worth highlighting as well, reflecting a higher efficiency level in generating profits from existing assets relative to its peers.

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Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin is the largest defense contractor in the world. The company focuses on defense, space, intelligence, homeland security, information technology, and cyber security. The stock is presently a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

LMT shares currently yield a solid 2.6% annually. Reflecting its shareholder-friendly nature, the company has grown its payout by almost 9% over the last five years.

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Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The defense titan has delivered better-than-expected results as of late, exceeding both earnings and revenue expectations in back-to-back releases. In fact, the average EPS surprise over the company’s last four quarters comes in at 7.5%.

Shares aren’t stretched regarding valuation, with the current 16.9X forward earnings multiple sitting modestly above the five-year median and well beneath the Zacks Aerospace/Defense industry average. The stock carries a Style Score of “B” for Value.

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Bottom Line

Dividends provide a nice boost to any portfolio, helping to limit drawdowns in other positions and providing the opportunity for maximum returns through dividend reinvestment.

And all three companies above – Caterpillar (CAT - Free Report) , The TJX Companies (TJX - Free Report) , and Lockheed Martin (LMT - Free Report) – have fully reflected their shareholder-friendly nature through dividend growth.

In addition, all three sport a favorable Zacks Rank, indicating near-term optimism among analysts.


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