Stanley Black & Decker (SWK) will raise its quarterly dividend by 1.4 percent to 70 cents per share in 2020. This follows a 4.5 percent dividend hike to $0.69 per share in 2019 and marks the 53rd consecutive year of annual dividend increases by this Dividend Aristocrat.

The next dividend of $0.70 per share is payable on September 15, 2020 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on September 1, 2020. A new annual rate of $2.80 per share yields 1.8% at a stock price of $160.

In a press release dated July 14, 2020 Stanley Black & Decker's President and CEO, James M. Loree, commented on the dividend hike, "A strong and growing dividend is consistent with our capital deployment philosophy to deliver approximately half of our excess capital to shareholders over the long term, reflects our strong financial position and is a key element of our shareholder value proposition."

This year's dividend hike is the smallest in many years by Stanley Black & Decker, with a 2.0 percent dividend hike being announced in 2013 being the previous smallest increase in the last decade. The last double digit dividend hike by the industrial company dates back to 2012.

Stanley Black & Decker currently pays an estimated $432 million in dividend to shareholders annually. The average dividend growth rate for the last five years drops to 4.9 percent if we include this small increase just announced for 2002.

Other Dividend Aristocrats announcing a dividend hike recently are Target Corporation (TGT) and Realty Income (O).

Stanley Black & Decker is a global provider of hand tools, power tools and related accessories, electronic security solutions, healthcare solutions and engineered fastening systems. Its brands include Stanley, SIDCHROME, AeroScout, DEWALT, Newell Tools, Proto and Craftsman, Irwin Tools, Lenox, Craftsman, BLACK+DECKER, SONITROL, Facom, Warren, GRIPCO, Porter-Cable, BOSTITCH, Lista and WanderGuard. The company has increased dividends every year since 1968 and the record of annual dividend payments is the longest of any industrial company listed on the New York Stock Exchange.