Investors can often see them coming weeks in advance, but the specific amount of a given annual dividend hike is always a surprise. That's because so much goes into management's decision about this payout boost, beyond simply the most recent growth and earnings performance.

(NASDAQ: PEP) and Home Depot (NYSE: HD) each announced new dividend payment rates as part of their Q4 earnings updates in February. Let's look at what these moves say about the business of these two companies and whether the dividend stocks are buys today.

PepsiCo recently ended a solid year on a down note. Organic sales gains in the Q4 period slowed to a 5% year-over-year increase from 9% in the prior quarter, and investors are bracing for further sluggishness ahead. CEO Ramon Laguarta and his team say that sales will rise by just 4% in 2024 compared to last year's 10% spike.

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Source Fool.com