The board of directors of Merck (NYSE: MRK) has declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.73 per common share, an increase of approximately 5.8% from the previous quarterly dividend of $0.69.

For calendar year 2023, this marks the first dividend change for the Washington Crossing Advisors Rising Dividend portfolio. The average dividend increase was 5.8% compared with December 31, 2022 indicated levels.

For a complete list of all portfolio holdings that have, in the past 12 months, increased, decreased, or had no change in dividend, please contact your financial advisor.

From the press release: “Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced today that the Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.73 per share of the company’s common stock for the first quarter of 2023. Payment will be made on Jan. 9, 2023, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Dec.15, 2022.” ¹

About the company: “At Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than 130 years, we have brought hope to humanity through the development of important medicines and vaccines. We aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and today, we are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of diseases in animals and people. We foster a diverse and inclusive global workforce and operate responsibly every day to enable a safe, sustainable and healthy future for all people and communities. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.” ¹

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IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES: The securities discussed herein do not represent all of the securities held by the WCA Rising Dividend Portfolio as of the date presented and are subject to change at any time, without notice. A complete list of holdings as of the date noted above will be provided upon request. The above is presented to illustrate the application of the strategy only and not intended as personalized recommendations of any particular security. The securities identified and described above do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold, or recommended for client accounts. You should not assume that an investment in any of the securities identified was or will be profitable. Changes in market conditions or a company’s financial condition may impact the company’s ability to continue to pay dividends. Companies may also choose to discontinue dividend payments. All investments involve risk, including loss of principal, and there is no guarantee that investment objectives will be met. It is important to review your investment objectives, risk tolerance and liquidity needs before choosing an investment style or manager. Equity investments are subject generally to market, market sector, market liquidity, issuer, and investment style risks, among other factors to varying degrees. Fixed Income investments are subject to market, market liquidity, issuer, investment style, interest rate, credit quality, and call risks, among other factors to varying degrees.