Track Consecutive Periods of Increasing Dividend Payout

The ConsecutivePeriodOfIncreasingDividendPayout function helps you identify how many back-to-back periods (quarters or years) a company has raised its dividend per share (DPS). By simply specifying a stock symbol and desired periods in Excel, you can quickly gauge dividend consistency and make more informed investment decisions.

Why Use This Function?

• Monitor Dividend Consistency: Quickly assess whether a company is consistently raising its dividend over consecutive quarters or years.
• Time-Saving Analysis: Avoid manual checks of multiple dividend announcements.
• Investment Insights: Identify reliable dividend payers and track improvements over time.
• Portfolio Strategy: Use consecutive increases as a signal of dividend growth investing opportunities.
• Flexible Analysis: Specify quarterly or annual periods (e.g., "8q" for 8 quarters or "5y" for 5 years) to match your analysis needs.

How to Use in Excel

=ConsecutivePeriodOfIncreasingDividendPayout("Symbol", "periods")

1. Type the function name in a cell.
2. Enter the stock’s trading symbol in quotes, for example "AAPL".
3. Specify how many quarters or years to look back. End this value with a “q” for quarters or “y” for years (e.g., "8q" = 8 Quarters, "5y" = 5 Years).
4. Press Enter, and the function returns the count of consecutive periods with a higher DPS than the previous period.

Parameters Explained

Example Usage

Basic Examples

1. =ConsecutivePeriodOfIncreasingDividendPayout("AAPL", "4q")
   • Checks Apple’s last 4 quarters of dividend payouts.
   • Example Output: “3” if Apple had 3 consecutive quarters of increases.

2. =ConsecutivePeriodOfIncreasingDividendPayout("MSFT", "5y")
   • Looks at Microsoft’s dividend payouts for the last 5 years.
   • Example Output: “5” if every year’s dividend exceeded the prior year for all 5 years.

3. =ConsecutivePeriodOfIncreasingDividendPayout("XOM", "8q")
   • Examines ExxonMobil’s dividend pattern over 8 quarters.
   • Example Output: “0” if no consecutive increases were found within the specified quarters.

Advanced Scenarios

• Combine with other MarketXLS functions: Use this function along with valuation or revenue-based functions to get a broader picture of a company’s fundamental health.
• Period Over Period Analysis: Compare multiple time frames (e.g., “8q” vs “12q”) in separate Excel cells to see if the dividend growth streak has lengthened or shortened.
• Dividend Growth Strategy: Include this function in your custom Excel models to rank dividend-paying stocks by their consecutive increases.

Common Questions and Troubleshooting

1. Why am I getting “NA”?

   • Invalid Symbol: Ensure the ticker symbol is recognized by MarketXLS.
   • Invalid Period Format: Periods must end with “q” or “y” (e.g., “8q,” “5y”).
   • Data Unavailable: If MarketXLS cannot retrieve valid dividend data, “NA” may appear.

2. Can I use this function for non-U.S. stocks?

   • Yes, as long as MarketXLS has the fundamental data for those symbols. Check for data availability first.

3. What if my license is expired or invalid?

   • The function will return “NA.” Ensure your MarketXLS license is active.

4. How do I interpret the output?

   • The result is how many consecutive periods have a higher dividend payout than the previous period. For example, a “3” means 3 consecutive quarters (or years) of dividend growth.

By using the ConsecutivePeriodOfIncreasingDividendPayout function, you can efficiently analyze a stock’s dividend growth streak. This helps you identify investments that may offer reliable or increasing dividend income over time.