Procter & Gamble raises dividend by 4% to 71.72 cents

The Procter & Gamble Co. PG, +0.27% said late Tuesday its board of directors declared an increase in the quarterly dividend to 71.72 cents a share. The dividend is payable May 15 to shareholders of record on April 20. That's a 4% increase compared with the previous quarterly dividend, the company said. It was the 62nd straight year that P&G has increased its dividend, and the company expects total dividend payments to shareholders of nearly $7.5 billion in fiscal year 2018. P&G has been paying a dividend for 128 consecutive years since its incorporation in 1890. Shares of P&G were flat in late trading after ending the regular session up 0.3%.