People want  to feel secure.  National security and  the military provide assurance that a country’s citizens will be protected, thus allowing them to focus their attention on other interests and endeavors.  National security is so large that no government can do it all alone. They all partner with companies like Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC) to provide the best defense products at the lowest price.

NOC this week helped their shareholders feel secure by raising its quarterly dividend 3.6% to $0.43/share. The company has increased its quarterly dividend in each of the last five years, and it has more than doubled since 2003. The dividend is payable June 13, 2009, to shareholders of record as of the close of business June 1, 2009. The ex-dividend date is May 28. The current yield based on the new dividend is 3.6%.

Below are several other companies making their shareholders feel a little more secure this week by increasing their cash dividends paid:

• Assurant (AIZ) increases its quarterly dividend 7% to $0.15, yielding 2.66%
• AmerisourceBergen (ABC) raises its quarterly dividend 20% to $0.06, yielding 0.65%
• Airgas (ARG) boosts its quarterly dividend 12.5% to $0.18, yielding 1.66%
• AAON (AAON) jumps its semi-annual dividend 13%, yielding 1.72%
• ACE Limited (ACE) increases its quarterly dividend 7% to $0.31/share, yielding 2.58%
• Xcel Energy (XEL) raises its quarterly dividend 3.2% to $0.245/share, yielding 5.75%
• Raven Industries (RAVN) boosts its quarterly dividend 8% to $0.14/share, yielding 1.92%

One sign of a safe and secure dividend is longevity. For companies with a long string of consecutive dividend increases, see this list.

Full Disclosure: No position in the aforementioned companies. See a list of all my income holdings here.