(NASDAQ: MSFT) has been synonymous with growth over the years. And it has also been paying -- and increasing -- its dividend for many years. 

This year is an encouraging one for Microsoft. The stock is soundly beating the S 500, the company has some new growth opportunities that are emerging, and the business simply hasn't looked better than it does right now. Given all that, a dividend hike is all but a lock next month, and it could only be a question of how big the increase will be.

The tech giant has been consistently increasing its dividend payments since 2006. And like a seasoned dividend growth stock, it has developed a pattern for when it normally announces increases: every September.

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Source Fool.com