Three Stocks With Recent Dividend Increases (CSCO, CMCSA, AMOT)

Technology and entertainment companies have been riding on high levels of demand. Some are paying that interest back to investors in dividends. Here are a few notable companies that have increased dividends more than 20% in the past month.

Cisco CSCO increased its dividend 33% when it announced second quarter 2012 earnings earlier this month. The company reported GAAP net income of $2.2 billion, up from $1.5 billion the second quarter of 2011. The $0.08 dividend will be paid April 25 to those shareholders registered as of April 5.

The company is estimating third quarter 2012 earnings per share of $0.35 to $0.40. Earnings per share were $0.40 in the second quarter.

“Given the ongoing business climate, as well as the uncertain economic situation globally, regionally and with certain countries, we will continue to take a measured approach that balances business upside with potential risk,” said Chief Financial Officer Frank Calderoni in the Feb. 8 earning conference call. “We are mindful of the possibility of slower IT spending in calendar 2012.”

Comcast CMCSA increased its dividend by 44% to $0.65 per share last week when it announced a 54.7% increase in revenue from the fourth quarter of 2011 to the fourth quarter of 2012. The dividend will be payable on April 25 to shareholders as of April 4.

The entertainment company that acquired NBC universal last year also plans to repurchase $6.5 billion of stock, $3 billion of that in 2012, it said in the earnings announcement.

“Across the board, our 2011 performance… is right where we had hoped to be, and in some cases substantially better,” said Chief Executive Officer Brian Roberts.

Allied Motion Technologies AMOT increased its dividend by 25% to $0.025 per share today. Feburary 16 the company reported a net income of $2.7 million, up from $0.98 million in the final quarter of 2011. The dividend will be paid March 15 to shareholders as of March 2.

“The payment of a cash dividend is in keeping with management's commitment to increase shareholder value and the 25% increase in the dividend rate demonstrates our confidence in the future of the company,” said Chief Executive Officer Dick Warzala. “The dividend does not affect our growth strategy as we fully intend to invest in the Company both organically and through acquisitions in the future.”