Payouts Unfazed by Market Turmoil

Good news was in short supply last week amid the stock market's tumble, with one notable exception -- dividends. Take the Big Board transportation duo of Penske Automotive Group and Winnebago Industries. Penske had suspended dividends in February 2009. It resumed them in May 2011 at seven cents a share and has revved them up by a penny every quarter since. Penske's shares hit a 52-week low of $36.36 on Wednesday, although they gained 1.2% on the day. For its part, Winnebago, which had discontinued its 12-cent-a-share dividend in October 2008, resumed payouts last Wednesday at the rate of nine cents.