Analysts said the improving earnings could bring dividend growth and lift the stock price.

The reverse would hold if it keeps dividend growth small.

At that time, the firm said, "We now expect future dividend growth to be below the 10-percent-plus rate of recent years."

However, this requires the use of earnings growth rather than dividend growth, which might be different.

A. Since dividend growth tends to be between zero and 10 percent a year, people who are looking for yield buy them.

But it was only at the end of 2003 that dividend growth started picking up speed.

But dividend growth measures the increase in the actual cash payout.

He was put off by one telltale sign - a slowing rate of dividend growth.

One possible answer may be dividend growth, market observers say.

Low interest rates are another reason that investors are likely to focus on dividend growth.