With annual revenue of nearly $9 billion and close to 600,000 clients, Automatic Data Processing is the king of the $70 billion global payroll-processing market. The Roseland, N.J.-based company hiked its quarterly common dividend 14%, to 33 cents a share from 29 cents. Disbursement is slated for Jan. 1 to investors on the books Dec. 12, and the ex-dividend date is Dec. 10. ADP has increased payouts every year since initiating them in 1974. It repurchased 33 million of its shares in its fiscal 2008 year, ended June 30.

Based in Deerfield, Ill., Baxter sweetened its quarterly 20%, to 26 cents a share from 21.75 cents, payable Jan. 6 to holders of record Dec. 10. The ex-date is Dec. 8. This is the third hike since February 2007, and gives the stock a 1.71% yield. Dividends have been ongoing since 1934. Baxter, which set a 52-week high of 71.53 on the Big board Aug. 15, was recently quoted at about 61 and is rated Buy. Third-quarter diluted earnings surged 21%, to 74 cents a share from 61 cents a year earlier. Sales rose 15%, to $3.2 billion. Commenting on the dividend boost, CEO Robert L. Parkinson Jr. said: "Because of the medically necessary nature of our product offerings, diversified business portfolio and extensive global presence, we have the financial strength and flexibility to provide enhanced value to shareholders and invest in future growth despite the uncertain macro environment."

Pharmaceutical Product Development is an outsourcing company that helps drug makers arrange clinical trials of new products. North Carolina-based PPD has raised its quarterly dividend 25%, as planned in September, to 12.5 cents a share, from a dime. The respective payment, record and ex dates are Dec. 29, Dec. 15 and Dec. 11. Dividends were initiated in 2005 at a split-adjusted 2.5 cents a share. The stock trades on Nasdaq at roughly half its 52-week high of 49.39 and yields 2.13%. September-quarter diluted earnings per share climbed 34%, to 43 cents, on a 12% revenue advance, to $398.5 million. The backlog totaled $3 billion, up 20%.