Cummins, which is at the core of the industrial economy, is thriving. Long the world's No. 1 independent manufacturer of big diesel engines, Cummins (CMI) expects to post its fifth consecutive year of record sales and profits in 2008. Last Tuesday, it boosted its quarterly common dividend by 40%, to 17.5 cents a share from 12.5 cents -- its third consecutive annual hike. Cummins' dividend had been parked at 7.5 cents a share (adjusted for a 2-for-1 split last January, its second stock division in less than a year) from late 1999 until July 2006. With last week's increase, the payout has risen 133%. From 2003 to 2007, Cummins produced an average annual shareholder return (share-price appreciation, plus dividends) of 58%-the ninth best among the Fortune 500 during that stretch. Disbursement of the new quarterly is scheduled for Sept. 2 to investors of record Aug. 22. The stock goes ex-dividend Aug. 20. Cummins, which also makes natural-gas engines, electric power generation systems and engine-related components, has been paying dividends without interruption since 1948.

The nation's two largest drugstore chains -- CVS Caremark (CVS) and Walgreen (WAG) -- each sweetened their quarterly common dividends last week. Walgreen's 18.4% hike was by far the bigger, taking its payout to 11.25 cents a share from 9.5 cents. Investors of record Aug. 20 will receive the new dividend Sept. 12. The ex-date is Aug. 18. Illinois-based Walgreen has paid dividends for 75 straight years and enriched them for 33 years in a row.

Up in Woonsocket, R.I., the 116-year-old CVS Caremark raised its quarterly for the fifth consecutive year, to 6.9 cents a share from six cents. The respective payment, record and ex dates are Aug. 1, July 21 and July 17. Dividends have been ongoing since 1916. The stock was recently quoted at four points above its 52-week low of 34.80, for a 0.72% yield.