WEC Energy : raises quarterly dividend

, /PRNewswire/ -- The board of directors of (NYSE: WEC) today declared a quarterly cash dividend of a share on the company's common stock, an increase of 8.2 percent over the current quarterly dividend of a share. This raises the annual dividend rate to a share.

The higher dividend is payable , to stockholders of record on . This marks the 294 consecutive quarter - dating back to 1942 - that the company will have paid a dividend to its stockholders.

'With today's action by our board, 2016 will be the thirteenth consecutive year of dividend increases for our stockholders,' said , chairman and chief executive. 'We will continue to target a dividend payout of 65 to 70 percent of earnings, a policy in line with our peers across the utility industry.'

(NYSE: WEC), based in , is one of the nation's premier energy companies, serving 4.4 million customers in , , , and .

The company's principal utilities are We Energies, Wisconsin Public Service, , , , and Minnesota Energy Resources. The company's other major subsidiary, , designs, builds and owns electric generating plants.

(wecenergygroup.com), a component of the 500, has approximately $29 billion of assets, 8,500 employees and 55,000 stockholders of record.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release are 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based upon management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in the statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning management's expectations and projections regarding dividend payments and payout ratios. In some cases, forward-looking statements may be identified by reference to a future period or periods or by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'anticipates,' 'believes,' 'estimates,' 'expects,' 'forecasts,' 'guidance,' 'intends,' 'may,' 'objectives,' 'plans' 'possible,' 'potential,' 'projects,' 'should,' 'targets,' 'will' or similar terms or variations of these terms.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in any forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: general economic conditions, including business and competitive conditions in the company's service territories; timing, resolution and impact of rate cases and other regulatory decisions; the company's ability to successfully integrate the operations of the Integrys companies; availability of the company's generating facilities and/or distribution systems; unanticipated changes in fuel and purchased power costs; key personnel changes; varying weather conditions; continued industry consolidation; energy conservation efforts; cyber-security threats; construction risks; equity and bond market fluctuations; the impact of any legislative and regulatory changes; current and future litigation and regulatory investigations; changes in accounting standards; the financial performance of the ; and other factors described under the heading 'Factors Affecting Results, Liquidity and Capital Resources' in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and under the heading 'Risk Factors,' as well as those factors described in the forward-looking statement cautionary language, contained in both and Form 10-Ks for the year ended and in subsequent reports filed with the . expressly disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information.

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SOURCE

Brian Manthey (news media), 414-221-4444, [e-mail]; or Colleen F. Henderson, CFA (investment community), 414-221-2592, [e-mail]