Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus.
While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a metric that measures a 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.
The Hartford in Focus
Headquartered in Hartford, The Hartford (HIG - Free Report) is a Finance stock that has seen a price change of -3.53% so far this year. The insurance and financial services company is paying out a dividend of $0.38 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 2.31% compared to the Insurance - Multi line industry's yield of 1.65% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.68%.
Taking a look at the company's dividend growth, its current annualized dividend of $1.54 is up 7.3% from last year. Over the last 5 years, The Hartford has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 10.63%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. The Hartford's current payout ratio is 21%. This means it paid out 21% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
Looking at this fiscal year, HIG expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2022 is $6.95 per share, with earnings expected to increase 13.01% from the year ago period.
Bottom Line
Investors like dividends for many reasons; they greatly improve stock investing profits, decrease overall portfolio risk, and carry tax advantages, among others. But, not every company offers a quarterly payout.
Big, established firms that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options, but it's fairly uncommon to see high-growth businesses or tech start-ups offer their stockholders a dividend. Income investors must be conscious of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. With that in mind, HIG 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).
Free Report Reveals How You Could Profit from the Growing Electric Vehicle Industry
Globally, electric car sales continue their remarkable growth even after breaking records in 2021. High gas prices have fueled his demand, but so has evolving EV comfort, features and technology. So, the fervor for EVs will be around long after gas prices normalize. Not only are manufacturers seeing record-high profits, but producers of EV-related technology are raking in the dough as well. Do you know how to cash in? If not, we have the perfect report for you – and it’s FREE! Today, don't miss your chance to download Zacks' top 5 stocks for the electric vehicle revolution at no cost and with no obligation.
>>Send me my free report on the top 5 EV stocks<<
Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus.
While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a metric that measures a 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.
The Hartford in Focus
Headquartered in Hartford, The Hartford (HIG - Free Report) is a Finance stock that has seen a price change of -3.53% so far this year. The insurance and financial services company is paying out a dividend of $0.38 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 2.31% compared to the Insurance - Multi line industry's yield of 1.65% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.68%.
Taking a look at the company's dividend growth, its current annualized dividend of $1.54 is up 7.3% from last year. Over the last 5 years, The Hartford has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 10.63%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. The Hartford's current payout ratio is 21%. This means it paid out 21% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
Looking at this fiscal year, HIG expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2022 is $6.95 per share, with earnings expected to increase 13.01% from the year ago period.
Bottom Line
Investors like dividends for many reasons; they greatly improve stock investing profits, decrease overall portfolio risk, and carry tax advantages, among others. But, not every company offers a quarterly payout.
Big, established firms that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options, but it's fairly uncommon to see high-growth businesses or tech start-ups offer their stockholders a dividend. Income investors must be conscious of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. With that in mind, HIG 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).
Free Report Reveals How You Could Profit from the Growing Electric Vehicle Industry
Globally, electric car sales continue their remarkable growth even after breaking records in 2021. High gas prices have fueled his demand, but so has evolving EV comfort, features and technology. So, the fervor for EVs will be around long after gas prices normalize. Not only are manufacturers seeing record-high profits, but producers of EV-related technology are raking in the dough as well. Do you know how to cash in? If not, we have the perfect report for you – and it’s FREE! Today, don't miss your chance to download Zacks' top 5 stocks for the electric vehicle revolution at no cost and with no obligation.
>>Send me my free report on the top 5 EV stocks<<
Get the latest research report on HIG - FREE