Heinz Board Increases Quarterly Dividend by 5.5% [Kerry gets a raise!]

biz wire ^ | 3/10/4

[NativeNewYorker]

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 10, 2004--The H.J. Heinz Company (NYSE:HNZ) announced today that its Board of Directors approved a 5.5% increase in the annual dividend on common stock for Fiscal Year 2005 (from 27 cents to 28.5 cents per quarter), effective with the July 2004 dividend.

At yesterday's closing share price of $38.08, this new dividend yield would be approximately 3.0%, ranking Heinz in the top 20% of the S&P 500.

"This decision by our Board of Directors confirms the success of our growth strategy across our global businesses. Our operating free cash flow has met the stringent goals that we developed and has enabled us to increase dividends at a rate much greater than inflation, while maintaining our commitment to return 45-50% of earnings to shareholders in the form of dividends," noted William R. Johnson, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer.

"Heinz has paid uninterrupted dividends ever since we went public in 1946, a period of 58 years. By increasing the dividend in July, at the beginning of our fiscal year, we will better align Heinz dividend payments with our fiscal-year operating cycle," Mr. Johnson said.

[NativeNewYorker]

Imagine if this were Halliburton.

[Puppage]

Imagine if Flipper didn't really understand the average American.

[marlon]

Heinz is obviously profiting on the backs of down trodden laborers. Clearly the "Benedict Arnold CEO" of Heinz has made himself and his buddies rich by casting aside American workers in favor of cheap labor abroad.

We have to fight big ketchup and keep fighting big ketchup. I tell you, we have just begun this battle and we're going to fight and fight and fight for you and all of the other working men and women who big ketchup is casting aside to make themselves even richer.

No I say this is going to be the end of big ketchup. We must not rest and we must keep fighting until every house, restuarant and worker in America has their right to free ketchup, or at least affordable ketchup. I say get big ketchup out of our kitchens and let the working families of America enjoy the ketchup that they deserve.

[appeal2]

This is a great opportunity for the Heinz-Kerry's to renounce the Bush Tax cut. Previously they would have been taxed at 39 percent under the Clinton tax laws. Now however they will be taxed at the 15 percent divident tax rate. They should send the millions in tax savings back to the Feds because they enjoy paying to taxes so much.

[Servant of the 9]

Heinz Board Increases Quarterly Dividend by 5.5% [Kerry gets a raise!]

INCORRECT HEADLINE.

Kerry gets nothing fron Heinz, though Terressa may now decide to raise his allowance.

So9

[NativeNewYorker]

...you know what I meant.