OREANDA-NEWS. February 22, 2013. Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) announced today that its Board of Directors has increased the company’s dividend 18.5 percent to an annual rate of USD 2.56 per share, from the previous annual rate of USD 2.16 per share. This increase brings the company’s compound annual dividend growth rate over the last 11 years to 16 percent, reported the press-centre of Occidental Petroleum.    

President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen I. Chazen said, “We have now increased our dividend every year for 11 consecutive years, and a total of 12 times during that period. This 18.5-percent increase brings the 11-year compounded dividend growth rate to 16 percent per year. The total increase in the annual dividend rate from 2002 is 412 percent.

“This increase reflects our confidence in the company’s financial strength and future performance. Consistent dividend growth, together with growing oil and gas production and well-above-average returns on capital, are the primary elements of Oxy’s long-term business strategy.”

The USD 0.64 per share quarterly dividend will be payable on April 15, 2013, to stockholders of record as of March 8, 2013.