OREANDA-NEWS. The Board of Directors of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) approved an annual cash dividend for fiscal year 2014 of USD 1.88 per share, an increase of approximately 18 percent from the USD 1.59 per share paid during fiscal year 2013. The fiscal year 2014 annual dividend of USD 1.88 per share will be paid in four quarterly installments of USD 0.47 per share.

“We are pleased to increase Walmart’s dividend by USD 0.29 per share, one of the largest increases in our history,” said Mike Duke, Walmart president and chief executive officer. “Our global businesses consistently generate strong free cash flow, providing ample opportunities to fund growth across all our markets and to deliver strong returns to shareholders. In fact, during fiscal year 2013, we returned USD 13 billion to shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchases.

“Our new fiscal year is under way, and we’re excited about the strategies we have in place,” said Duke. “With a strong asset base and strategic focus on greater capital discipline, we will continue to save our customers money, to grow our business and to provide solid returns to our shareholders.”

Walmart has increased its dividend every year since the first declared dividend of USD 0.05 per share in March 1974.