Coca-Cola (KO) will raise its quarterly dividend by 2.6 percent to $0.40 per share in the first quarter of 2019. This marks the 57th consecutive year of dividend increases for Dividend Aristocrat KO.

The quarterly dividend will be raised to $0.40 per share. This is equivalent to an annual dividend of $1.60 per share, up from $1.56 per share in 2018. The next dividend is payable April 1, 2019, to shareowners of record as of March 15, 2019.

Coca-Cola today states that it returned $6.6 billion in dividends to shareowners in 2018, bringing the total amount given back to shareowners through dividends since Jan. 1, 2010, to $48.1 billion.

The new annual dividend yields 3.5% to shareholders at a stock price of $45.86.

The Coca-Cola Company is a beverage company, offering over 500 brands in more than 200 countries and territories. In addition to Coca-Cola, the company's brand portfolio also includes AdeS soy-based beverages, Ayataka green tea, Costa coffee, Dasani waters, Del Valle juices and nectars, Fanta, Georgia coffee, Gold Peak teas and coffees, Honest Tea, innocent smoothies and juices, Minute Maid juices, Powerade sports drinks, Simply juices, smartwater, Sprite, vitaminwater and ZICO coconut water.