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Why The First Bancshares (FBMS) is a Great Dividend Stock Right Now
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All investors love getting big returns from their portfolio, whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities. 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.
The First Bancshares in Focus
Headquartered in Hattiesburg, The First Bancshares (FBMS - Free Report) is a Finance stock that has seen a price change of -20.04% so far this year. Currently paying a dividend of $0.19 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 2.46%. In comparison, the Banks - Southeast industry's yield is 2.24%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.64%.
In terms of dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $0.76 is up 31% from last year. In the past five-year period, The First Bancshares has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 40.45%. 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 First Bancshares's current payout ratio is 24%. This means it paid out 24% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
Earnings growth looks solid for FBMS for this fiscal year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2022 is $3.09 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 1.64%.
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.
For instance, it's a rare occurrence when a tech start-up or big growth business offers their shareholders a dividend. It's more common to see larger companies with more established profits give out dividends. During periods of rising interest rates, income investors must be mindful that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle. With that in mind, FBMS 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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Why The First Bancshares (FBMS) is a Great Dividend Stock Right Now
All investors love getting big returns from their portfolio, whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities. 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.
The First Bancshares in Focus
Headquartered in Hattiesburg, The First Bancshares (FBMS - Free Report) is a Finance stock that has seen a price change of -20.04% so far this year. Currently paying a dividend of $0.19 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 2.46%. In comparison, the Banks - Southeast industry's yield is 2.24%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.64%.
In terms of dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $0.76 is up 31% from last year. In the past five-year period, The First Bancshares has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 40.45%. 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 First Bancshares's current payout ratio is 24%. This means it paid out 24% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
Earnings growth looks solid for FBMS for this fiscal year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2022 is $3.09 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 1.64%.
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.
For instance, it's a rare occurrence when a tech start-up or big growth business offers their shareholders a dividend. It's more common to see larger companies with more established profits give out dividends. During periods of rising interest rates, income investors must be mindful that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle. With that in mind, FBMS 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).