Below are the approximate ex-dividend dates for the month of December for companies that appear on our Dividend Achiever, Nasdaq 100, Dow Jones Transportation Index and International Dividend Achiever Watch Lists. All companies are ranked by ex-dividend dates.
Companies that show up on our Watch Lists could be considered the equivalent of the bargain bin of high quality blue chip stocks. Because these companies have increased their dividends every year for at least 10 years in a row or are part of the Nasdaq 100 and within 20% of their respective 52-week low, you know that you’re not overpaying for a company that has demonstrated profitability and the ability to rebound from challenging times.
| Symbol | Name | Price | EPS | Div/Shr | Yield | Pct from Yr Low | Ex-Div |
| CHFC | Chemical Financial Corp | $20.93 | 0.71 | 0.8 | 3.80% | 11.39% | 12/01/10 |
| IMO | Imperial Oil Limited | $36.03 | 2.23 | 0.43 | 1.20% | 2.42% | 12/01/10 |
| PEP | Pepsico, Inc. | $63.92 | 3.97 | 1.92 | 3.00% | 8.80% | 12/01/10 |
| ANAT | American National Insurance | $79.71 | 5.37 | 3.08 | 3.90% | 7.51% | 12/01/10 |
| CBSH | Commerce Bancshares, Inc. | $37.48 | 2.5 | 0.94 | 2.50% | 6.78% | 12/06/10 |
| CHL | China Mobile Limited | $49.69 | 4.34 | 1.64 | 3.30% | 11.89% | 12/06/10 |
| FNF | Fidelity National Financial | $13.63 | 1.34 | 0.72 | 5.30% | 8.17% | 12/07/10 |
| UMBF | UMB Financial Corp | $37.44 | 2.37 | 0.78 | 2.10% | 17.85% | 12/08/10 |
| NTRS | Northern Trust Corp | $50.20 | 2.92 | 1.12 | 2.20% | 10.81% | 12/08/10 |
| WMT | Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. | $53.67 | 4.03 | 1.21 | 2.30% | 12.35% | 12/08/10 |
| KMB | Kimberly-Clark Corp | $61.53 | 4.42 | 2.64 | 4.30% | 5.63% | 12/08/10 |
| VFC | V.F. Corp | $83.00 | 5.27 | 2.52 | 3.00% | 19.87% | 12/08/10 |
| BDX | Becton, Dickinson and Co | $77.12 | 5.49 | 1.64 | 2.10% | 16.02% | 12/08/10 |
| STFC | State Auto Financial Corp | $15.83 | 0.03 | 0.6 | 3.70% | 18.13% | 12/09/10 |
| SYBT | S.Y. Bancorp, Inc. | $23.69 | 1.44 | 0.72 | 3.00% | 19.65% | 12/09/10 |
| IRET | Investors Real Estate Trust | $8.94 | 0.02 | 0.69 | 7.60% | 12.17% | 12/12/10 |
| SFNC | Simmons First National Corp | $28.75 | 1.63 | 0.76 | 2.60% | 18.90% | 12/12/10 |
| SUBK | Suffolk Bancorp | $25.78 | 1.68 | 0.88 | 3.40% | 10.22% | 12/12/10 |
| BXS | BancorpSouth, Inc. | $12.86 | 0.06 | 0.88 | 6.90% | 4.81% | 12/13/10 |
| VLY | Valley National Bancorp | $12.71 | 0.76 | 0.72 | 5.60% | 3.61% | 12/13/10 |
| PPDI | Pharmaceutical Product Dev. | $24.92 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 2.40% | 19.46% | 12/13/10 |
| LEG | Leggett & Platt | $20.55 | 1.17 | 1.08 | 5.30% | 14.87% | 12/13/10 |
| UHT | Universal Health Realty Income | $35.05 | 1.38 | 2.42 | 6.80% | 18.73% | 12/13/10 |
| HI | Hillenbrand Inc | $19.50 | 1.54 | 0.75 | 3.90% | 9.55% | 12/13/10 |
| OMI | Owens & Minor, Inc. | $28.42 | 1.92 | 0.71 | 2.40% | 11.36% | 12/13/10 |
| MRK | Merck & Company | $34.69 | 2.59 | 1.52 | 4.40% | 13.00% | 12/13/10 |
| FFIN | First Financial Bankshares, Inc | $48.79 | 2.72 | 1.36 | 2.80% | 12.03% | 12/13/10 |
| RNR | RenaissanceRe Holdings | $60.48 | 13.42 | 1 | 1.60% | 19.86% | 12/13/10 |
| TSS | Total System Services | $15.14 | 1.05 | 0.28 | 1.80% | 12.90% | 12/14/10 |
| MCY | Mercury General Corp | $43.20 | 3.83 | 2.4 | 5.50% | 19.17% | 12/14/10 |
| RLI | RLI Corporation | $58.14 | 5.52 | 1.16 | 2.00% | 17.86% | 12/14/10 |
| GE | General Electric | $15.97 | 0.92 | 0.48 | 3.00% | 16.15% | 12/15/10 |
| FRS | Frisch's Restaurants | $21.70 | 1.89 | 0.6 | 2.70% | 19.96% | 12/15/10 |
| ECL | Ecolab Inc. | $48.56 | 2.16 | 0.62 | 1.30% | 19.43% | 12/16/10 |
| CINF | Cincinnati Financial Corp. | $29.77 | 3.04 | 1.6 | 5.30% | 18.56% | 12/20/10 |
| SRE | Sempra Energy | $49.62 | 2.99 | 1.56 | 3.10% | 13.00% | 12/26/10 |
| OFC | Corporate Office Properties | $33.91 | 0.33 | 1.65 | 4.80% | 3.75% | 12/27/10 |
| NUE | Nucor Corp. | $37.39 | 0.64 | 1.44 | 3.80% | 4.70% | 12/27/10 |
| USB | U.S. Bancorp | $24.00 | 1.54 | 0.2 | 0.80% | 17.42% | 12/27/10 |
| XRAY | DENTSPLY International Inc. | $30.73 | 1.85 | 0.2 | 0.60% | 10.70% | 12/27/10 |
| WPC | W.P. Carey & Co. | $29.50 | 1.95 | 2.03 | 6.90% | 19.48% | 12/27/10 |
| SYK | Stryker Corp | $50.19 | 3.22 | 0.6 | 1.20% | 17.43% | 12/27/10 |
| IBKC | IBERIABANK Corp. | $50.83 | 5.99 | 1.36 | 2.70% | 5.22% | 12/27/10 |
| CWCO | Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. | $8.91 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 3.30% | 10.00% | 12/28/10 |
| LRY | Liberty Property Trust | $31.67 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 6.00% | 16.52% | 12/28/10 |
| HCC | HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. Co | $28.31 | 2.89 | 0.58 | 2.10% | 18.70% | 12/28/10 |
| FULT | Fulton Financial Corp. | $8.76 | 0.54 | 0.12 | 1.40% | 7.75% | 12/29/10 |
| TR | Tootsie Roll Industries | $26.87 | 0.92 | 0.32 | 1.20% | 15.82% | 12/29/10 |
| BANF | BancFirst Corp. | $40.11 | 2.69 | 1 | 2.50% | 15.03% | 12/29/10 |
| CAH | Cardinal Health | $35.52 | 2.71 | 0.78 | 2.20% | 19.64% | 12/29/10 |
| ITW | Illinois Tool Works | $47.40 | 3.25 | 1.36 | 2.90% | 17.53% | 12/29/10 |
If you happen to be researching these companies for potential investment, it would be advisable to consider the ex-dividend date prior to possible purchases. Owning the shares of the company that you're interested in before the ex-dividend date entitles you to the upcoming dividend payment.
Owning the shares on or after the ex-dividend date means that you would have to wait at least three months before receipt of the next dividend payment. Please verify the ex-dividend date and payout ratio before committing funds to these stocks. Additionally, do not base your next long or short-term purchase on the dividend payment or yield. Instead, get as much research in as you possibly can before the ex-dividend date "just in case" you're actually interested in buying the stock. Payout ratios that exceed 100% should be considered speculative investments.