OREANDA-NEWS. The board of directors of Abbott (NYSE: ABT) today increased the company's quarterly dividend to 26 cents per share from 24 cents per share.

This marks the 368th consecutive quarterly dividend to be paid by Abbott since 1924. The cash dividend is payable Feb. 16, 2016, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Jan. 15, 2016.

This will mark the 44th consecutive year the company has increased its dividend payout. Abbott is a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index, which tracks companies that have annually increased their dividend for 25 consecutive years.

Abbott is a global healthcare company devoted to improving life through the development of products and technologies that span the breadth of healthcare. With a portfolio of leading, science-based offerings in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic pharmaceuticals, Abbott serves people in more than 150 countries and employs approximately 73,000 people.