Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. However, when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.

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 account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases.

Headquartered in San Jose, California Water Service Group (CWT Quick QuoteCWT - Free Report) is a Utilities stock that has seen a price change of 15.65% so far this year. The water utility is currently shelling out a dividend of $0.34 per share, with a dividend yield of 2.67%. This compares to the Utility - Water Supply industry's yield of 2.6% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.34%.

Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.34 is up 8.1% from last year. Over the last 5 years, California Water Service Group has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 7.00%. 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. California Water Service Group's current payout ratio is 60%, meaning it paid out 60% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

Looking at this fiscal year, CWT expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 is $2.56 per share, which represents a year-over-year growth rate of 19.07%.

Investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons, from tax advantages and decreasing overall portfolio risk to considerably improving stock investing profits. It's important to keep in mind that not all companies provide 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, CWT 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).