Cincinnati Financial (CINF) will raise its quarterly dividend by 5.7 percent to $0.56 per share in the first quarter of 2019. Dividend Aristocrat CINF has now raised its annual dividend for 59 consecutive years.

The dividend is payable April 15, 2019, to shareholders of record as of March 20, 2019. A new annualized dividend rate of $2.24 per share yields 2.7% at a stock price of $81.56 for CINF.

Steven J. Johnston, president and chief executive officer, commented: "Over the past 58 years, Cincinnati Financial shareholders have benefited from increasing dividends, and this action sets the stage for a 59(th) consecutive year.

"This increase also demonstrates the board's confidence that our operating strategy will allow us to continue rewarding shareholders into the future. The key to our success lies with the relationships we build with premier independent agents across the country and in our talented associates who deliver the service, products and technology those agents need."

Cincinnati Financial Corporation offers business, home and auto insurance through The Cincinnati Insurance Company and its two standard market property casualty companies. The same local independent insurance agencies that market those policies may offer products of CINF's other subsidiaries, including life insurance, fixed annuities and surplus lines property and casualty insurance. The company segments are commercial lines insurance, personal lines insurance, excess and surplus lines insurance, and life insurance and investments.