Shares of The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. IPG scaled a 52-week high of $29.65 in the trading session on Mar 11, before closing a tad lower at $29.29.The company’s shares have charted a solid trajectory in recent times, appreciating 91.9% over the past year, much ahead of 59.4% growth of the industry it belongs to and 59.8% rally of the Zacks S&P 500 composite.Notably, Interpublic has witnessed a 19.3% rise in share price since it posted fourth-quarter 2020 results.Let’s find out what’s supporting the uptick.Dividend HikeInterpublic announced that its board of directors declared a cash dividend of 27 cents per share, up 5.9% from its prior dividend of 25.5 cents. The raised dividend will be paid on Mar 15, to its shareholders of record as of Mar 1.Previously, during 2020, 2019 and 2018, Interpublic paid $398.1 million, $363.1 million and $322.1 million in dividends, respectively. Such moves indicate the company’s commitment to create value for shareholders and also underline its confidence in its business. These shareholder-friendly initiatives not only instill investors’ confidence, but also positively impact earnings per share.Diversified Business ModelInterpublic came up with better-than-expected earnings and revenue performances in the last seven quarters. The company’s digital capabilities, diversified business model and geographic reach offer a distinctive competitive advantage. The company is expected to achieve targeted levels in the coming quarters based on diversification across emerging regions and collaboration/integration across agencies through technological improvement. Moreover, the company continues to look for strategic investments/acquisitions to expand in high-growth regions and key world markets.Contributions From AcquisitionsAcquisitions, over time, have helped Interpublic expand its product portfolio, thereby trying to stand up to the rapidly-changing marketing services and media prospects. In recent years, Interpublic has acquired agencies across the marketing spectrum, which include firms specialized in digitalization, mobile marketing, social media, healthcare communications and public relations, as well as agencies with full-service capabilities.Zacks Rank and Stocks to ConsiderInterpublic currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).Some other top-ranked stocks in the broader Zacks Business Services sector are CoreLogic CLGX, Gartner IT and NV5 Global NVEE, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2.The long-term expected earnings per share (three to five years) growth rate for CoreLogic, Gartner and NV5 Global is 10%, 13.5% and 16.8%, respectively.5G Revolution: 3 Stocks to Make Your MoveWith super high data speed, it will make current cell phones obsolete and unlock the full potential of big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. In the next few years this industry is predicted to create 22 million jobs and a stunning $12.3 trillion in revenue.Today you have an historic chance to pursue almost unimaginable gains like Microsoft, Netflix, and Apple in their early phases. Zacks has released a Special Report that reveals our . . .Smartest stock for 5G telecomSafest investment in 5G hardwareSingle best 5G buy of all!Download now. Today the report is FREE >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. The (IPG): Free Stock Analysis Report Gartner, Inc. (IT): Free Stock Analysis Report CoreLogic, Inc. (CLGX): Free Stock Analysis Report NV5 Global, Inc. (NVEE): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research