Striking oil (and gas)

Another big dividend raiser has been Williams (NYSE: WMB ) . The company has boosted its dividend twice in the past year, with the payout now double what it was in late 2010. Its $0.25 dividend now represents a 3.7% yield.

The company also made another shareholder-friendly move, spinning off WPX Energy, its exploration and production unit. Now, Williams has focused on the energy midstream, with its pipelines and processing assets. With all the new production throughout the U.S., Williams is in a good position to profit from high demand.