Dividend hikes were announced this week by many U.S. firms, including Target TGT (-3.16%) and Caterpillar (-3.80%).

Shareholders of Target (NYSE: TGT) will receive $1.08 per share in quarterly dividends, a 20% increase from the current 90 cents. Through June 9, the stock of the national retailer, which pays a dividend yield of 2.9 percent, had a yearly return of around -33 percent, dividends included. The S&P 500 SPX –2.91 percent, on the other hand, returned a negative 15 percent.

Target’s first-quarter profits were disappointing, prompting the company’s shares to fall approximately 25 percent on May 18. A dividend raise will provide some comfort to investors. For the 51st year in a row, the corporation is on pace to raise its dividend.

An increase of $1.20 per share has been announced by Caterpillar (CAT). An 8% rise in price from $1.11 per share. Despite the stock’s 9 percent gain so far this year, it only offers an annual dividend yield of 2.2 percent.

Construction and mining equipment are among Caterpillar’s offerings. Also, Caterpillar is a member of the S&P 500 Index of Dividend Aristocrats.

(UNH) announced it expects to raise its quarterly dividend to $1.65 a share, an increase of roughly 14% from $1.45 a share. The stock’s year-to-date performance is -2% on its 1.4 percent dividend yield.

Utilities holding PPL (PPL) announced a quarterly dividend of 22.5 cents a share, an increase of 12.5% from 20 cents. PPL is situated in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

As of this writing, the stock’s yield of 3.2% has dropped by around 2% during the course of the year.

With a dividend increase of 3 cents, or approximately 9 percent, Casey’s General Stores CASY –1.40 percent (CASY) announced a quarterly dividend of 38c. This is the 23rd year in a row that the dividend has been raised.

It owns and operates convenience shops and petrol stations across the Midwest, southern states, and sections of the Great Plains. This year, the stock has lost roughly 2%, and it was recently yielding 0.8 %.