Ashland (ASH) will raise its quarterly dividend by 14.7 percent to $0.39 per share in 2015. This is the first dividend hike announced by the specialty chemicals company since 2013, when the dividend was hiked by 51.1 percent.

Ashland Inc. provides specialty chemical solutions to customers in a wide range of consumer and industrial markets, including adhesives, architectural coatings, automotive, construction, energy, food and beverage, personal care and pharmaceutical. Its three business units are Ashland Specialty Ingredients, Ashland Performance Materials and Valvoline. Ashland's board of directors has declared a dividend every quarter since December 1936.