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This is Why Highwoods Properties (HIW) is a Great Dividend Stock

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

Highwoods Properties in Focus

Highwoods Properties (HIW - Free Report) is headquartered in Raleigh, and is in the Finance sector. The stock has seen a price change of -24.27% since the start of the year. The real estate investment trust is currently shelling out a dividend of $0.48 per share, with a dividend yield of 5.18%. This compares to the REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry's yield of 5.25% and the S&P 500's yield of 2.12%.

In terms of dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.92 is up 1.1% from last year. Highwoods Properties has increased its dividend 4 times on a year-over-year basis over the last 5 years for an average annual increase of 3.14%. 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. Highwoods Properties's current payout ratio is 53%. This means it paid out 53% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

Looking at this fiscal year, HIW expects solid earnings growth. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2020 is $3.56 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 6.91%.

Bottom Line

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.

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, HIW 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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