Ford Raises Dividend to 75 After Posting Record Profits

Ford Motor Co., rich with cash from its record profits, today raised its first-quarter dividend by 25% to 75 cents per share, a move long expected by industry analysts.

The increase from the previous level of 60 cents per share was Ford’s first dividend increase since the second quarter of 1988, when the 60-cent level was fixed.

“Today’s substantial dividend increase reflects Ford’s commitment to maximizing the value of its shareholders’ investment,” Ford Chairman Donald Petersen and Vice Chairman Harold Poling said in a statement.