NiSource (NI) will raise its quarterly dividend by 6.1 percent to $0.175 per share. The increased dividend will be payable February 17, 2017 to shareholders of record as of February 10, 2017. 

"Supported by the execution of our customer-focused regulated utility infrastructure investment programs, this dividend increase demonstrates our focus on sustainably increasing shareholder value," said NiSource President and CEO Joseph Hamrock. "An increasing dividend is a key part of our overall value proposition."

With this new cadence, NiSource expects to announce dividend increases at the beginning of each year. NiSource had typically announced increases in May.

NiSource Inc. is an energy holding company. The company operates a natural gas pipeline and provides natural gas service and transportation for residential, commercial and industrial customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Kentucky, Maryland, Indiana and Massachusetts. NiSource also provides electric service in the northern part of Indiana. The company's subsidiary NIPSCO owns and operates coal-fired electric generating stations.