One way to identify Dividend growth stocks is to look for dividend increases. Companies that pay rising dividends are likely to be financially healthy and generate consistent cash flow. I am interested in stocks with at least ten consecutive years of increasing annual regular dividend payments. Here is a list of such companies that increased their dividends last week.

Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL), +11.76% dividend increase

Hormel Foods Corporation is engaged in the production of a range of meat and food products. The Company operates through five segments: Grocery Products, which is engaged in the processing, marketing and sale of shelf-stable food products sold for the r...

Hormel Foods Corporation has declared quarterly dividend of $0.19(+11.76% increase). It goes ex-dividend on 1/12/2018 and is payable on 2/15/2018. Annualized dividend is $0.68 at a yield of 1.98%. Hormel Foods Corporation has a dividend growth rate of 28.70% (3 Year Average) and has 50 Years of Consecutive Dividend Growth.

Hormel Foods Corporation has a twelve month trailing (TTM) earnings per share (EPS) of $1.62, which gives it a dividend payout ratio of 38.20%. The predicted earnings per share for 2018 is $1.63. Earnings per share is further expected to grow by 1.62% annually over the next five years. EPS has grown by 13.50% in the last 5 years. The cash per share is $1.21. Using cash per share we can compute the dividend payout ratio as 56.2%. Hormel Foods Corporation has a market capitalization of $17.98B. It has a P/E ratio of 21.21. (Forward P/E: 20.97). Analyst consensus target price is $32.80. 52 week range: 29.75 - 37.97.

Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX), +2.74% dividend increase

Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD) is a global medical technology company engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of a range of medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment and diagnostic products. The Company operates through two segments: ...

Becton, Dickinson and Company has declared quarterly dividend of $0.75(+2.74% increase). It goes ex-dividend on 12/7/2017 and is payable on 12/29/2017. Annualized dividend is $2.92 at a yield of 1.30%. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a dividend growth rate of 10.10% (3 Year Average) and has 45 Years of Consecutive Dividend Growth.

Becton, Dickinson and Company has a twelve month trailing (TTM) earnings per share (EPS) of $4.66, which gives it a dividend payout ratio of 45.10%. The predicted earnings per share for 2018 is $11.60. Earnings per share is further expected to grow by 11.27% annually over the next five years. EPS has grown by -2.80% in the last 5 years. The cash per share is $60.61. Using cash per share we can compute the dividend payout ratio as 4.82%. Becton, Dickinson and Company has a market capitalization of $51.31B. It has a P/E ratio of 48.17. (Forward P/E: 19.33). Analyst consensus target price is $240.31. 52 week range: 161.29 - 227.50.