Flowers Foods raises dividend more than 14 percent on improved expectations

Flowers Foods raised its quarterly dividend to 20 cents per share -- a boost of 14.3 percent from the prior dividend -- largely on expectations that the breads and snacks maker continue to do well and improve its performance. The dividend will be payable July 2 to those shareholders on record June 18. Flowers' chairman George E. Deese, said the company remains focused on deploying its cash toward dept reduction, share buybacks and strategic acquisitions.