OREANDA-NEWS.   Williams (NYSE: WMB) board of directors has approved a regular dividend of USD 0.4250 on the company's common stock, payable June 30 to holders of record at the close of business June 13.

The new amount is an increase of USD 0.0725, or 20.6 percent, from the second-quarter 2013 dividend. The second-quarter 2014 dividend is an increase of USD 0.0225 or 5.6 percent, from the previous quarterly dividend of USD 0.4025 per share.

The company last week announced it expects to continue to increase the cash dividend amount by 20 percent each year through 2016. The expected growth trajectory would deliver an annual per-share dividend of USD 2.54 in 2016 – a level that is more than five times the 2010 amount.

The expected quarterly increases in Williams' dividend are subject to quarterly approval of Williams' board of directors.

Williams has paid a common stock dividend every quarter since 1974.