Core Insights - Companies with a strong history of dividend payments and increases are attractive to income-focused investors, with Fifth Third Bancorp, Merck, and Duke Energy recently announcing dividend hikes [1] Fifth Third Bancorp - Fifth Third Bancorp has increased its dividends for nine consecutive years, with a recent hike of 8% to $0.40 per share, translating to an annual payout of $1.60 per share [3] - The current dividend yield for Fifth Third Bancorp is 3.53% [3] - The company's annual revenue as of June 30 was $8.45 billion, with Q2 2025 revenues of $2.25 billion and EPS of $0.90, both exceeding consensus estimates [3] Merck - Merck has raised its dividends for 14 consecutive years, with the latest increase from $0.77 to $0.81 per share, equating to an annual payout of $3.24 per share [5] - The current dividend yield for Merck is 4.18% [5] - Merck's annual revenue as of June 30 was $63.62 billion, with Q2 2025 revenues of $15.81 billion, slightly missing consensus estimates, while EPS of $2.13 surpassed expectations [6] Duke Energy - Duke Energy has consistently raised its dividends for 18 years, with the latest increase from $1.045 to $1.065 per share, resulting in an annual payout of $4.26 per share [8] - The current dividend yield for Duke Energy is 3.48% [8]
How Fifth Third Bancorp, Merck, And Duke Energy Can Put Cash In Your Pocket