Becton Dickinson's ($BDX) board of directors boosted its quarterly dividend to 54.5 cents per common share, up 10% from the previous quarter. Lucky shareholders-of-record as of Dec. 10 get to reap the benefit on Dec. 31. That means the New Jersey maker of medical instruments and reagents will be hitting a $2.18 per share annual dividend for fiscal 2014. Becton Dickinson Chairman, CEO and President Vincent Forlenza noted in a statement that this is the 42nd consecutive year that the company raised its dividend. Becton Dickinson closed out its 2013 fiscal year with $2.1 billion in revenue during the fourth quarter, nearly 7% higher than the $2 billion booked during the same period last year. But the company's net income plunged due to its defeat in an antitrust civil trial. Item