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Several companies have been delivering positive news to shareholders lately, including announcements of higher dividend payouts. 

A company opts to raise its dividend when confident in its current standing and cash-generating abilities. Of course, it also reflects the company’s commitment to returning value to shareholders, which is undoubtedly encouraging.

Three companies — NetEase (NTES - Free Report) , Verisk Analytics (VRSK - Free Report) , and Waste Management (WM - Free Report) — recently declared dividend hikes. For those with an appetite for income, let’s take a closer look at each.

NetEase

NetEase is an Internet technology company that develops applications, services, and other technologies for the Internet in China. NTES announced a sizable 120% boost to its quarterly payout, with the company also boasting a 24% five-year annualized dividend growth rate.  

Analysts have been notably bullish on the company’s current year outlook, with the $7.91 Zacks Consensus EPS estimate up 35% over the last year and suggesting year-over-year growth of 12%. The stock sports a Style Score of ‘A’ for Growth.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Verisk Analytics

Verisk Analytics is a data analytics provider serving customers in insurance, energy, and specialized markets and financial services. The company announced a 14.7% boost to its dividend, bringing the quarterly payout to $0.39 per share.

Verisk has consistently increasingly rewarded its shareholders, as we can see illustrated below.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Waste Management

Waste Management is a leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. The company boosted its quarterly payout by 7%, with the payout now totaling $0.75 per share.

Analysts have taken a bullish stance on the company’s earnings outlook, raising their expectations across all timeframes.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Bottom Line

Dividends soften the blow from drawdowns in other positions, provide more than one way to reap a return from an investment, and allow maximum returns through dividend reinvestment.

And all three companies above – NetEase, Verisk Analytics, and Waste Management – have recently boosted their payouts.

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