After years of a low-interest rate environment, which has reversed in a big way over the last 18 months, many investors continue to turn to equities not only for growth potential but also for solid and dependable dividends, which help to provide an income stream. This equates to total return, one of the most influential investment strategies.

Total return is the combined increase in a stock’s value plus dividends. For instance, if you buy a stock at $20 that pays a 3% dividend, and it goes up to $22 in a year, your total return is 13%—10% for the increase in stock price and 3% for the dividends paid.

Five top large-cap companies that are Wall Street favorites are expected to raise their dividends this week, and all are rated Buy at some of the leading firms on Wall Street. While it’s always possible that not all of the five raise their dividends, top analysts expect them to, and generally, the data is based on past increases in the firm’s dividend payouts.

Amgen

This biotech giant remains a top stock for investors to buy and a safer way to play the massive potential growth in biosimilars. Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) discovers, develops, manufactures, and delivers human therapeutics worldwide. It focuses on inflammation, oncology/hematology, bone health, cardiovascular disease, nephrology, and neuroscience.

The company’s products include:

• Enbrel to treat plaque psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis
• Neulasta reduces the chance of infection due to a low white blood cell count in patients with cancer
• Prolia to treat postmenopausal women with osteoporosis
• Xgeva for skeletal-related events prevention
• Otezla for treating adult patients with plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and oral ulcers associated with Behcet’s disease
• Aranesp to treat a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells and anemia
• KYPROLIS to treat patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma
• Repatha reduces the risks of myocardial infarction, stroke, and coronary revascularization

Investors are currently paid a 3.13% dividend. The company is expected to lift the dividend to $2.32 from $2.13.

Broadcom

This tech leader has reported significant earnings this year and is an excellent AI player. Broadcom Limited (NASDAQ: AVGO) has an extensive semiconductor product portfolio that addresses applications within the wired infrastructure, wireless communications, enterprise storage, and industrial end markets.

Applications for Broadcom’s products in these end markets include

• Data center networking
• Home connectivity
• Broadband access
• Telecommunications equipment
• Smartphones
• Base stations
• Servers
• Storage
• Factory automation
• Power generation
• Alternative energy systems
• Displays.

Shareholders are currently receiving a 1.98% yield. The company is expected to raise the dividend to $5.00 per share from $4.60.

MasterCard

This company continues to be one of the top credit card players in the world. MasterCard Incorporated (NYSE: MA) is a technology company that provides transaction processing and other payment-related products and services in the United States and internationally.

The company facilitates the processing of payment transactions, including authorization, clearing, and settlement, and delivers other payment-related products and services.

The company offers integrated products and value-added services for

• Account holders
• Merchants
• Financial institutions
• Businesses
• Governments

Mastercard also provides value-added products and services comprising cyber and intelligence solutions for parties to transact and proprietary insights, drawing on the moral use of consumer and merchant data services. In addition, the company offers analytics, test and learn, consulting, managed services, loyalty, processing, and payment gateway solutions for e-commerce merchants. Further, it provides open banking and digital identity platform services.

The company offers payment solutions and services under

• MasterCard
• Maestro
• Cirrus

Investors are currently paid a 0.55% dividend. The company is expected to lift the dividend to $0.63 from $0.57.

Stryker

This leading medical devices company is a big beneficiary in the aging of America thesis. Stryker Corporation (NYSE: SYK) operates through three segments: Orthopaedics, MedSurg, Neurotechnology, and Spine.

The Orthopaedics segment provides implants for hip and knee replacement replacements and trauma and extremities surgeries.

The MedSurg segment offers surgical equipment and navigation systems,

• Endoscopic and communications systems,
• Patient handling,
• Emergency medical equipment
• Intensive care disposable products, reprocessed
• Remanufactured medical devices and other medical device products used in various medical specialties.

The Neurotechnology and Spine segment provides neurotechnology products, which include products used for:

• Minimally invasive endovascular techniques;
• Products for brain and open skull-based surgical procedures
• Orthobiologic and biosurgery products, such as synthetic bone grafts
• Vertebral augmentation products and minimally invasive products for the treatment of acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke

Shareholders are currently paid a 1.01% yield. The company is expected to raise the dividend to $0.82 per share from $0.75.

Zoetis

This company is a big player in the veterinarian world. Zoetis Inc. (NYSE: ZTS) engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and commercialization of animal health medicines and vaccines for livestock and companion animals in the United States and internationally.

Zoetis offers anti-infectives that prevent, kill, or slow the growth of bacteria, fungi, or protozoa; vaccines, which are biological preparations to prevent diseases of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and reproductive tracts or induce a specific immune response; and parasiticides that discourage or eliminate external and internal parasites, such as fleas, ticks, and worms.

The company also provides medicated feed additives that offer medicines to livestock, veterinarian solutions for anesthesia, pain management, and the diagnosis of diabetes, and other pharmaceutical products, including pain and sedation, oncology, antiemetic, allergy, dermatology, and reproductive products. I

In addition, it offers different product categories comprising nutritionals and agribusiness services, as well as products and services in complementary areas consisting of biodevices, diagnostics, and genetics.

Investors are currently paid a 0.84% dividend. The company is expected to lift the dividend to $0.43 from $0.375

Five top companies rated Buy across Wall Street thT are expected to lift the dividends they pay shareholders. Not only is increasing dividends and returning capital to investors necessary, but it also shows that the company is doing well and has the earnings and cash flow strength to increase the payouts.

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