The U.S. stock market powered through November 2021 with one of the strongest months for dividend paying stocks in the modern era. The number of companies increasing their dividends was up near record levels. At the same time, the number of firms cutting their dividends was down from October 2021, when they had caused concern after spiking up.

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Here is November 2021's metadata describing the number of dividend declarations, special dividends, increases, decreases and omissions for the month:

• 5,141 U.S. firms declared dividends in November 2021, a decline of six from the 5,147 recorded in October 2021. That figure is 2,016 more than the 3,125 recorded in November 2020.
• There were 109 firms that announced they would pay a special (or extra) dividend to their shareholders in November 2021, an increase of 50 over the number recorded in October 2021 and an increase of 31 over the 78 recorded in November 2020.
• 190 U.S. firms announcing dividend rises in November 2021, an increase of 28 over the number recorded in October 2021, and an increase of 65 over the 125 recorded in November 2020. November 2021's total ties with 2013 for the second-best November in the modern data series that extends back to 2004. The best November on record was in 2012 when 197 firms hiked their dividend payouts.
• S&P counted 12 dividend cuts in November 2021, a decline of seven from the 19 recorded in October 2021 and also a decrease of three from the 15 recorded in November 2020.
• No U.S. firms omitted to pay their dividends in November 2021, the same as in October 2021. That figure represents a year-over-year decrease of one from November 2020.

All in all, November was a very robust month for the dividend paying companies of the U.S. stock market.

Reference

Standard and Poor. S&P Market Attributes Web File. [Excel Spreadsheet]. Accessed 1 December 2021.