The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that dividend stocks have been in a slumber for the past few years. The Globe's John Heinzl writes that now, dividend-paying companies are suddenly seeing an outpouring of love again. With the Bank of Canada having lowered interest rates three times -- including a quarter-point cut this week -- and the U.S. Federal Reserve expected to kick off its easing cycle on Sept. 18, Mr. Heinzl's model Yield Hog Dividend Growth Portfolio is finally sparking to life. From the end of June through the end of August, the model portfolio posted a total return of 10.8 per cent. That compares with a gain of 7.2 per cent for the S&P/TSX Composite Index over the same period. At inception, the portfolio was generating $4,094 of cash annually. Now, thanks to scores of dividend increases and regular reinvestments of cash to buy additional shares, the portfolio's annual income has soared to $7,886, an increase of roughly 93 per cent. This includes recent dividend increases from Capital Power, which raised its payout by 6 per cent on July 30, and Canadian Apartment Properties REIT, which raised its distribution by 3.5 per cent on Aug. 15 -- its first increase in three years.