Dividend Aristocrat Consolidated Edison (ED) will increase its quarterly dividend by 3.1 percent to $0.67 per share. The increase in the dividend is the 42nd consecutive annual increase for stockholders, the longest successive increases of any utility in the S&P 500 index.

"The increase in the dividend reflects our continued emphasis on providing a return to our investors while meeting the needs of our customers," said Robert Hoglund, Con Edison's senior vice president and chief financial officer. The company expects to continue to pay its stockholders between 60% and 70% of its adjusted earnings.

The estimated dividend yield for Consolidated Edison is 4% based on Thursday's closing price of $67.69.

Consolidated Edison, Inc. is an energy-delivery company. ED provides energy-related products and services to its customers through the following subsidiaries: Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc., a regulated utility providing electric, gas and steam service in New York City and Westchester County, New York; Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc., a regulated utility serving customers in a 1,300-square-mile-area in southeastern New York State and northern New Jersey; Con Edison Clean Energy Businesses, Inc., which through its subsidiaries develops, owns and operates renewable and energy infrastructure projects and provides energy-related products and services to wholesale and retail customers; and Con Edison Transmission, Inc., which through its subsidiaries invests in electric and natural gas transmission projects.