Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus.
Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and of course, dividends. A dividend is that coveted distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders, and investors often view it by its dividend yield, a metric that measures the dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases.
Unitil in Focus
Headquartered in Hampton, Unitil (UTL) is a Utilities stock that has seen a price change of 13.54% so far this year. The utility is paying out a dividend of $0.43 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 2.85% compared to the Utility - Electric Power industry's yield of 3.24% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.52%.
Taking a look at the company's dividend growth, its current annualized dividend of $1.70 is up 4.9% from last year. In the past five-year period, Unitil has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 2.77%. Any future dividend growth will depend on both earnings growth and the company's payout ratio; a payout ratio is the proportion of a firm's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Unitil's current payout ratio is 56%. This means it paid out 56% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
Looking at this fiscal year, UTL expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2024 is $2.92 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 3.55%.
Bottom Line
Investors like dividends for many reasons; they greatly improve stock investing profits, decrease overall portfolio risk, and carry tax advantages, among others. It's important to keep in mind that not all companies provide a quarterly payout.
High-growth firms or tech start-ups, for example, rarely provide their shareholders a dividend, while larger, more established companies that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options. Income investors have to be mindful of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. With that in mind, UTL is a compelling investment opportunity. Not only is it a strong dividend play, but the stock currently sits at a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold).
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