Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Why Packaging Corp. (PKG) is a Top Dividend Stock for Your Portfolio

Read MoreHide Full Article

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 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 make up large portions of long-term returns, and in many cases, dividend contributions surpass one-third of total returns.

Packaging Corp. In Focus

Based in Lake Forest, Packaging Corp. (PKG - Free Report) is in the Industrial Products sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of 4.2%. Currently paying a dividend of $1.25 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 3.52%. In comparison, the Containers - Paper and Packaging industry's yield is 2.62%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.67%.

Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $5 is up 25% from last year. Packaging Corp. has increased its dividend 3 times on a year-over-year basis over the last 5 years for an average annual increase of 11.85%. 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. Packaging Corp.'s current payout ratio is 39%, meaning it paid out 39% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

Looking at this fiscal year, PKG expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2022 is $11.62 per share, which represents a year-over-year growth rate of 23.75%.

Bottom Line

Investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons, from tax advantages and decreasing overall portfolio risk to considerably improving stock investing profits. 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, PKG presents a compelling investment opportunity; it's not only an attractive dividend play, but the stock also boasts a strong Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Packaging Corporation of America (PKG) - free report >>

Published in