66 years of dividend hikes back Genuine

Article Excerpt

Genuine Parts has a long history of rewarding investors: the company has paid regular dividends since it became a public company in 1948. The company recently completed a big acquisition that should let it continue that impressive record. Genuine will also benefit from the slowdown of new car production due to the ongoing chip shortage, which should spur demand for replacement parts. GENUINE PARTS CO. $127 is a buy. The company (New York symbol GPC; Income-Growth Payer Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 142.0 million; Market cap: $18.0 billion; Dividend yield: 2.8%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.genpt.com) is a leading seller of replacement auto parts. It has 2,727 company-owned stores (under the famous NAPA banner) and 6,767 independent outlets in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. This business accounts for 66% of total sales. The remaining 34% comes from distributing industrial parts such as bearings, seals, pumps and hoses. Starting with the April 2022 payment, Genuine will raise your quarterly dividend by 9.8%, to…