One of the factors that appeals to me most about ASX dividend shares is that they can grow their payouts for investors.
A growing dividend is usually funded by rising profits, which can help push the share price higher over time. Receiving more cash flow each year sounds appealing to me.
I believe it's important that businesses are capable of growing their payout because this protects against the erosion of the value of a dollar from inflation.
While payout growth isn't guaranteed, the two businesses below have the longest growth records, and I believe they're motivated to continue increasing the payout.
APA Group (ASX: APA)
APA is the ASX dividend share with the second-longest record for consecutive annual payout growth. It has increased its distribution each year for the last 20 years.
APA is a large energy infrastructure business that transports half of the nation's gas usage. It owns a vast gas pipeline network around Australia. The business also generates earnings from gas storage, gas processing, and gas energy generation facilities, as well as solar farms, wind farms, and electricity transmission.
A significant contributor to the distribution growth is how its revenue is linked to inflation, so there's a natural organic boost for earnings each year. APA also regularly expands its portfolio, either through the completion of another energy project (such as a new pipeline) or making an acquisition.
The ASX dividend share is expecting to grow its distribution again in FY26 to 58 cents per security, translating into a distribution yield of 6.6%, at the time of writing.
Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL)
This business, typically called Soul Patts, has the longest-running record of annual ordinary dividend growth on the ASX. It has grown its regular dividend every year since 1998, which is an impressive streak, and I don't see that stopping any time soon.
Soul Patts is an investment conglomerate that is more than a century old. It has a diversified portfolio across various sectors, including telecommunications, resources, industrial properties, agriculture, and so on.
I think it's very useful to have Soul Patts' cash flow come from a variety of sources, giving it protection against risks if there's an issue with a particular industry.
The business has designed the portfolio to be defensive, so the cash flow and dividends can continue flowing in most economic conditions.
Soul Patts also doesn't pay out 100% of its cash flow each year, allowing it to invest in new opportunities each year and also giving it wiggle room to increase the dividend even if its cash flow doesn't increase in one year.
Based on the last two dividends declared, it has a grossed-up dividend yield of around 3.5%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.
