Dividend Stocks Lead In Personal Care, Cosmetics

The Cosmetics/Personal Care industry group illustrates the advantage of dividends in a weak market.

While the group is down about 6% year to date, the performance is better when looking at the dividend stocks within the group.

Nine stocks in the 46-stock group are priced above $12 a share and pay a dividend of more than 1%.

Only three of those stocks are down year to date.

Herbalife HLF, Colgate-Palmolive CL and Weight Watchers International WTW carry the best ratings among the dividend payers.

Herbalife provides weight and nutrition products. Earnings have increased for five straight years.

It is rated No. 1 in Fundamental and Overall rankings in The Stock Checkup at Investors.com.

The midcap began paying a dividend in 2007. The yield is 1.8%.

Colgate carries an EPS Stability Rating of 1 -- the best possible. Earnings rose in seven of the past eight years.

Sales grew 13% in 2007, the first double-digit growth since 1995.

The maker of toothpaste, soaps and other everyday products pays a dividend that yields 2.1%.

It has increased the annual dividend payment for 45 straight years, including an announcement in February that the dividend would rise in the second quarter.

Weight Watchers provides weight control programs in more than 25 countries.

Earnings have increased for at least eight straight years. Sales rose 19% in 2007, the fastest growth since 2002.

Its dividend yield is 1.5%.

In February, Weight Watchers agreed to enter a joint venture in China with Groupe Danone of France. It is expected to begin operations sometime in the next year.