Investors in UK-listed companies will be rewarded with a £101.1 billion pay-out in 2014, as dividends are predicted to jump 27%.
Buoyed by a special £16.6 billion dividend from Vodafone (VOD) companies will pay out a record amount of cash, smashing the previous record set in 2012 of £80.6 billion.
Even putting Vodafone's contributions aside, the average UK company will yield 4.2% this year, more than double the current rate of inflation. This is excellent news for investors, who have struggled to earn a real return since the credit crisis.
According to the latest UK Dividend Monitor from Capita Asset Services, 2013 was a disappointing year for dividend payouts due to the decline in special dividends, which fell by two-thirds. This brought the total dividend pay-day to £79.8 billion in 2013, down 1% on the previous year.
Investors in the blue-chip index would have been content last year however, as dividends bounced 7%, compared to an increase of just 2.9% for the FTSE 250. Industrial companies and engineering firms boosted their the most dividends last year - but mining stocks pulled down the average.
Vodafone is rewarding shareholders with the special dividend thanks to the mobile operator selling its stake in US telecoms giant Verizon for $130 billion. As the deal has not yet formerly been agreed by shareholders if you buy Vodafone today you can expect to benefit from your part of the £17 billion due to be paid on March 5.
But income alone should not dictate whether investors hold a share. We examine Vodafone below, the three-star rating indicates it is fairly valued.
Vodafone (VOD)
Vodafone has sold most of its minority assets and is in the process of selling Verizon Wireless. These divestitures reduce its debt load and increase its focus on operations it controls. India, in particular, is showing signs of improvement. Vodafone has majority or joint control in 22 countries and minority or partnership interests in many others.
Competition is increasing globally; European rivals are merging and becoming more global, and strong emerging-markets players are developing. This competition is driving down ARPU.
Vodafone acquired Kabel Deutschland, increasing its position in offering converged telecom services as well as reducing cost. But Vodafone could overpay for more acquisitions like Kabel.
The firm generates significant free cash flow, which it is using to increase dividends, make acquisitions, and reinvest in the business.
In order to compare Vodafone to other telecoms companies you may be considering for your portfolio use Morningstar's free Stock QuickRank tool