We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
All investors love getting big returns from their portfolio, whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities. But when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.
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.
Chesapeake Utilities (CPK - Free Report) is headquartered in Dover, and is in the Utilities sector. The stock has seen a price change of -0.79% since the start of the year. Currently paying a dividend of $0.69 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 2.21%. In comparison, the Utility - Gas Distribution industry's yield is 3.22%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.45%.
Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $2.74 is up 1.7% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Chesapeake Utilities has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 9.90%. 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. Chesapeake Utilities's current payout ratio is 44%, meaning it paid out 44% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
Looking at this fiscal year, CPK expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $6.51 per share, with earnings expected to increase 8.32% from the year ago period.
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.
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. During periods of rising interest rates, income investors must be mindful that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle. With that in mind, CPK 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).
Zacks' 7 Best Strong Buy Stocks (New Research Report)
Valued at $99, click below to receive our just-released report
predicting the 7 stocks that will soar highest in the coming month.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
Image: Bigstock
Are You Looking for a High-Growth Dividend Stock?
All investors love getting big returns from their portfolio, whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities. But when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.
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.
Chesapeake Utilities (CPK - Free Report) is headquartered in Dover, and is in the Utilities sector. The stock has seen a price change of -0.79% since the start of the year. Currently paying a dividend of $0.69 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 2.21%. In comparison, the Utility - Gas Distribution industry's yield is 3.22%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.45%.
Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $2.74 is up 1.7% from last year. Over the last 5 years, Chesapeake Utilities has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 9.90%. 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. Chesapeake Utilities's current payout ratio is 44%, meaning it paid out 44% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
Looking at this fiscal year, CPK expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $6.51 per share, with earnings expected to increase 8.32% from the year ago period.
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.
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. During periods of rising interest rates, income investors must be mindful that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle. With that in mind, CPK 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).