Independent investment firm Fiera Capital Corp. (TSX:FSZ) Thursday raised its quarterly dividend to $0.09 per share from $0.08 per share.

The Montreal-based company also reported its financial results for the fifth quarter fifteen months ended Dec. 31, 2012.

Following the closing of the Natcan transaction in April 2012, Fiera changed its fiscal year end from September 30 to December 31. As a result, fiscal 2012 is a fifteen-month period ending December 31, 2012.

For the fifth quarter, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization increased by $3.0 million to $12.5 million from the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2012 and improved by 9.0 million compared to the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2011.

Fiera recorded net earnings of $0.05 per share, which was stable compared to the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2012 and an increase compared to net earnings per share of $0.02 for the same quarter in 2011.

Revenue increased by $4.6 million to $31.0 million compared to the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2012 and increased by $14.9 million from the quarter ended Dec.31, 2011.

Assets under management increased by $1.8 billion to $57.0 billion compared to the previous quarter ended Sept. 30, 2012 and by $28.1 billion compared to the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2011.

“From almost every perspective, fiscal 2012 was a year of positive transformation and growth for Fiera Capital and its shareholders,” said Jean-Guy Desjardins, chairman, CEO and CIO of Fiera Capital.

“As a result of our acquisitions, our solid investment performance and the introduction of new funds, we more than doubled Fiera Capital’s assets and improved our operating leverage and our financial performance. The Board has decided to pass on the benefits of this growth and performance to our shareholders by declaring a substantial increase in the dividend on our Class A and B shares. We are increasing the dividend by 12.5%.”

Subsequent to the end of the quarter, on January 18, Fiera Capital has reached an agreement with Toronto-based GMP Capital Inc. (TSX:GMP) to acquire flagship funds pertaining to the GMP Diversified Alpha Fund and the Canadian ABCP Fund, which together represent approximately $570 million in assets under management.

As well, on January 31, Fiera announced the closing of the transaction under which Fiera acquired the Canadian fixed income, Canadian equity and domestic balanced account business from UBS Global Asset Management (Canada) Inc., representing assets under management of approximately $8 billion.