Though one month doesn't make a trend, August saw an encouraging pick up in dividend payments.
Investors focus on companies that consistently raise their dividends.
Here are 12 top-ranked examples. With the market little changed for the year to date, companies may be starting to hike dividend payments to provide shareholders with a tangible return on their investment and reward for their loyalty. Appreciation had been the incentive from 1995 through 1999. When looking for dividend income, investors often make the mistake of buying stocks with the highest yields. Often a stock's yield is high because the business is so mature that there is little need to reinvest earnings or because the price is depressed due to poor earnings prospects or an unfavorable industry development.