CMS Energy (CMS) will raise its quarterly dividend by 7.3 percent to $0.31 per share. The first quarter dividend for the common stock is payable Feb. 28, 2017, to shareholders of record on Feb. 3, 2017.

Patti Poppe, CMS Energy's president and chief executive officer, said the Board's decision to increase the current dividend to $1.33 per share on an annualized basis reflects the successful execution of the company's business strategy.

"We continue to make significant capital investments that serve our customers and create value for our investors," Poppe said.

"Our long-term business plan calls for 6 percent to 8 percent annual earnings growth, and our quarterly common stock dividend has increased 10 cents, or nearly 38 percent, in the last five years. We expect to continue to increase our dividend as we execute our strategy and increase our earnings."

CMS Energy is a Michigan-based company that has an electric and natural gas utility, Consumers Energy, as its primary business and also owns and operates independent power generation businesses. Consumers serves individuals and businesses operating in the alternative energy, automotive, chemical, metal, and food products industries, as well as a group of other industries.