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.

While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on 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 make up large portions of long-term returns, and in many cases, dividend contributions surpass one-third of total returns.

Investar (ISTR Quick QuoteISTR - Free Report) is headquartered in Baton Rouge, and is in the Finance sector. The stock has seen a price change of 0.23% since the start of the year. Currently paying a dividend of $0.11 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 2%. In comparison, the Banks - Southeast industry's yield is 2.38%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.49%.

Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $0.44 is up 7.3% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Investar has increased its dividend 4 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 11.29%. 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. Investar's current payout ratio is 20%, meaning it paid out 20% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

Earnings growth looks solid for ISTR for this fiscal year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 is $1.93 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 2.12%.

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. During periods of rising interest rates, income investors must be mindful that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle. With that in mind, ISTR 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).