Coke, Walmart, and 8 More Companies That Boosted Their Stock Dividends

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Things go better with Coke, as the company’s long-ago jingle proclaimed. Things are also going better for the beverage company’s stockholders, thanks to the news that its dividend will be increased.

Coca-Cola

(ticker: KO) said this week it is raising its annual dividend to $1.76 a share from $1.68, an increase of nearly 5%. That equates to 44 cents on a quarterly basis, up from 42 cents.

This marks the 60^th consecutive annual dividend increase for the company, which is a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats index. Those companies have paid out a higher dividend for at least 25 straight years.

Coca-Cola stock, which yields 2.8%, has a one-year return of about 28% as of the market’s close on Feb. 17, dividends included, ahead of the

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