Silver Wheaton (SLW) Declares Dividend, Beats Estimates

Silver Wheaton (NYSE:SLW) continues to capture the attention of investors, as they again beat analysts' estimates, and as mentioned in the past, have declared their first dividend at three cents a share.

Earnings for the October-December quarter came in at $123 million, or 35 cents a share, up from $50.8 million, or 15 cents a share, last year in the same quarter. Analysts on average were looking for earnings of 30 cents a share.

Sales jumped to $149.6 million from $90.5 million in the same quarter of 2009, but missed consensus estimates of $153 million.

For the quarter, attributable silver equivalent production increased 10 percent to 6.3 million ounces, and average silver prices over that time soared by 50 percent.

Holding $428 million of cash at the end of the quarter, the company decided it was time to return some to shareholders via dividends for the first time in its history.

The dividend is payable on March 31 to shareholders of record on March 21.

Silver Wheaton closed Thursday at $43.72, up $0.23, or 0.53 percent.