Core Insights - The article highlights two lesser-known companies, Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and Marzetti, which are notable for their consistent dividend increases, making them attractive to income investors [1][2]. Group 1: Automatic Data Processing (ADP) - ADP has recently celebrated its status as a Dividend King, having increased its quarterly dividend by 10% to $1.70 per share, marking 51 consecutive years of dividend hikes [3][6]. - The company operates in the finance sector, providing payroll and human resources services, and has maintained a stable profit margin between 17% and 20% over the last five fiscal years [4][5]. - For the first quarter of fiscal 2026, ADP reported a 7% year-over-year revenue increase to $5.2 billion and a 6% rise in GAAP net income to $1 billion, indicating sustained profitability [6][5]. - The upcoming dividend payout will be distributed on January 1, 2026, yielding 2.7% based on the most recent stock price [7]. Group 2: Marzetti - Marzetti, a food products supplier, has also increased its dividend for the 63rd consecutive year, raising it by 5% to $1 per share [9]. - The company reported a nearly 6% rise in net sales to over $493 million for the first quarter of 2026, with significant growth in its food service segment, which saw an 8% increase [10][12]. - Marzetti's business model includes a balanced approach between its food service and retail segments, allowing it to mitigate risks associated with fluctuations in consumer spending [13]. - The raised dividend will be paid on December 31 to stockholders of record as of December 5, yielding approximately 2.4% based on the current share price [14].

Group 1: Earnings Performance - Automatic Data Processing (ADP) reported quarterly earnings of $3.06 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.96 per share, and up from $2.88 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of 3.38% [1] - The company posted revenues of $5.55 billion for the quarter ended March 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.09%, compared to year-ago revenues of $5.25 billion [2] - Over the last four quarters, ADP has consistently surpassed consensus EPS estimates and revenue estimates [2] Group 2: Stock Performance and Outlook - ADP shares have increased approximately 1% since the beginning of the year, while the S&P 500 has declined by 5.5% [3] - The future performance of ADP's stock will largely depend on management's commentary during the earnings call and the company's earnings outlook [3][4] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter is $2.29 on revenues of $5.05 billion, and for the current fiscal year, it is $9.94 on revenues of $20.43 billion [7] Group 3: Industry Context - The Internet - Software industry, to which ADP belongs, is currently ranked in the bottom 44% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating potential challenges for stock performance [8] - Empirical research suggests a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions, which can impact ADP's stock performance [5][6]