Dividend checks continue to get fatter in Corporate America, as more companies jack up their distribution rates.

Readers of the Income Investor newsletter can certainly appreciate that kind of thinking. Let's take a closer look at some of the companies that inched their payouts higher these past few days.

We can start with BD (BDX 0.08%).

The maker of medical devices, instrument systems, and reagents is boosting its quarterly payouts 10% to $0.495 a share. Investors should be used to this by now. The company that's also commonly known as Becton, Dickinson and Company has come through with 41 consecutive years of increases.

Churchill Downs (CHDN 1.43%) is also galloping along nicely. The company behind the iconic horse racing track that bears its name declared an annual distribution of $0.72 a share. This is the second year in a row that Churchill Downs has come through with a 20% hike.

International Game Technology (IGT -0.05%) investors are hitting another jackpot. The maker of slot machines and other casino equipment is juicing up its quarterly rate 17% to $0.07 a share. IGT claims to be the only dividend-paying, investment-grade company in the gaming industry.

Finally we have Pacific Coast Oil Trust (ROYT) gushing after an uptick in daily production. The perpetual royalty trust with interests in the oil and gas industry declared a monthly distribution to its investors of $0.15228 per unit, a 9% improvement over the its disbursements a month earlier.

Checks and balances
Subscribers to the Income Investor newsletter can appreciate the companies sending more and more money to their investors. The newsletter singles out companies that are committed to growing their distributions with market-thumping results. A 30-day trial subscription will let you see if it's right for you.