3M Putting More Money Back in Shareholders' Hands
If you're a dividend investor and haven't been following shares of 3M then you're doing something wrong. After the market closed yesterday the company increased its dividend to $0.635 per share, an 8% increase. This is the 55th consecutive year 3M has increased its dividend and the 96th consecutive year the company has paid dividends.
To put icing on the cake, the company announced a $7.5 billion share repurchase program, which could buy back more than 10% of the company's stock.
Corporate America puts dividends first
We've seen a renewed focus on dividends at some of the largest companies in the U.S. recently, and investors are reevaluating these companies. Since the recession there have been fewer growth opportunities in large markets like the U.S. and Europe, and forward-thinking companies were already heavily invested in growth markets like China and Latin America.
The next best alternative for cash is paying investors back with dividends. Conglomerates like General Electric and Johnson & Johnson are in the same boat as 3M. As growth has slowed dividend yield has gone up and investors look for cash instead of growth.
MMM Dividend Yield data by YCharts
Like 3M, GE bumped up its quarterly payout by 12% over the past few months to $0.19 per share. It also approved an increased share buyback by $10 billion. Johnson & Johnson did the same thing with a 7% increase in its dividend last year.
A little more than a decade ago, 3M, GE, and J&J would have been considered growth stocks, commanding high P/E ratios as leaders of their industries. Now investors look at them for nothing more than consistent earnings and a solid dividend yield.
In other news
3M also named Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent to its board of directors.
A deeper dive into 3M
With over 50,000 products, 3M plays a role in making everything from computers to power cables. A long history of invention and innovation has driven the company to its wide reach, but a focus on operational efficiency may be hurting the creative culture that once created Scotch Tape and the Post-It Note. A new leader has taken over and vows to return innovation to the forefront. Does this mean the stock will become more than a dividend, returning to its former glory as a growth stock once again? Find out whether 3M has what it takes to pull it off in The Motley Fool's comprehensive new research report on the company. As an added bonus, you'll receive a full year of key updates and guidance as news develops, so don't miss out -- simply click here now to claim your copy today.
The article 3M Putting More Money Back in Shareholders' Hands originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributor Travis Hoium has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends 3M, Coca-Cola, and Johnson & Johnson. The Motley Fool owns shares of General Electric Company and Johnson & Johnson. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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