Stocks approaching their ex-dividend dates on October 31, 2012 – (WPZ, NSC, F, CMS, AA, CCF)
In the stock markets, companies that announce dividends are often a part of a fair investment portfolio. These dividend-paying companies use some of their profit to distribute regular dividends to their investors. The reason for its good looks is that investors can still receive some regular income even if the stock is flat or down. Ex-dividend date is what you may find the most important to understand for each dividend a company pays.
The ex-dividend date is usually set by the exchange on which the stock is traded, after the company publicizes the record date. Generally, a transaction gets settled after two business days. So investors need to acquire the stock two days prior to the record date in order to receive the dividend. Stocks bought on or after that day are termed ex-dividend or without dividend.
Williams Partners L.P. (NYSE:WPZ) an energy infrastructure company, focuses on connecting North Americas hydrocarbon resource plays to growing markets for natural gas and natural gas liquids. Williams Partners L.P’s annual dividend yield is positive at 6.03%. The stock in the previous 52 weeks has been hovering in range of $48.28 – $65.39. The company is worth $18.51 billion.
Norfolk Southern Corp. (NYSE:NSC) is currently valued at $19.84 billion. The company keeps its annual dividend yield positive at 3.19%. The stock in the previous 52 weeks has traded in a range of $60.96 – $78.50. NSC through its subsidiaries, engages in the rail transportation of raw materials, intermediate products, and finished goods primarily in the United States.
Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) currently holds a yearly dividend yield of 1.93%. The stock has traded between $8.82 – $13.05 in the past 52 weeks and has a market capitalization of $39.51 billion. Ford Motor Company engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and service of vehicles and related parts worldwide. The company operates through two sectors, Automotive and Financial Services.
CMS Energy Corporation (NYSE:CMS) through its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company primarily in Michigan. The company operates in three segments: Electric Utility, Gas Utility, and Enterprises. CMS Energy Corporation has a dividend yield of 3.96%. The stock in the past 52 weeks has been floating in the range of $19.57 – $24.98. The company’s market capitalization stands at $6.42 billion.
Alcoa Inc. (NYSE:AA) maintains an annual dividend yield of 1.39%. The stock over the last 52 weeks has been trading in a range of $7.97 – $11.66. Its market capitalization stands at $9.23 billion. AA engages in the production and management of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum, and alumina. The company operates in four segments: Alumina, Primary Metals, Flat-Rolled Products, and Engineered Products and Solutions.
Chase Corporation (NYSE:CCF) together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture of protective materials for various applications. The company operates in two segments, Industrial Materials and Construction Materials. Chase Corporation (NYSE:CCF has an annual dividend yield of 2.21%. The stock in the prior 52 weeks has been trading between $10.80 – $19.00. The company is valued at $163.76 million.
Disclosure: Opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors alone who have no stake in any stocks mentioned, and did not plan to acquire any stake within the next 72 hours.
