Dividend growth is likely to accelerate in 2012, according to Chris Leavy, chief investment officer for US equities at BlackRock.
His views have been echoed by a number of other analysts, who are concerned about the level of returns from investments in the wobbly global financial marketplace.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Mr Leavy said: "We think 2012 will be the year that dividends grow faster than earnings."
Dividend payouts currently lag behind bonds when it comes to growth, but many expect that to change.
According to Jack Ablin, another analyst concerned with the fate of dividend rewards, dividend-paying stocks will catch and soon overtake stocks that do not pay out.
"Dividend-paying companies will take more of a leading role as the rally matures," he told the FT.
This week, chip manufacturer CSR said that it was increasing its dividend to 7.1 cents per share after completing a £31 million share buyback deal.
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