We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
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.
Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. However, 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 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 account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases.
MGE in Focus
Based in Madison, MGE (MGEE - Free Report) is in the Utilities sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of 18.53%. The public utility holding company is paying out a dividend of $0.43 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 2% compared to the Utility - Electric Power industry's yield of 3.35% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.57%.
In terms of dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.71 is up 2.4% from last year. In the past five-year period, MGE has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 4.75%. Future dividend growth will depend on earnings growth as well as payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Right now, MGE's payout ratio is 54%, which means it paid out 54% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
Earnings growth looks solid for MGEE for this fiscal year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2024 is $3.69 per share, which represents a year-over-year growth rate of 13.54%.
Bottom Line
From greatly improving stock investing profits and reducing overall portfolio risk to providing tax advantages, investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons. 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, MGEE 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).
See More Zacks Research for These Tickers
Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:
Image: Bigstock
Are You Looking for a High-Growth Dividend Stock?
Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. However, 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 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 account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases.
MGE in Focus
Based in Madison, MGE (MGEE - Free Report) is in the Utilities sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of 18.53%. The public utility holding company is paying out a dividend of $0.43 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 2% compared to the Utility - Electric Power industry's yield of 3.35% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.57%.
In terms of dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1.71 is up 2.4% from last year. In the past five-year period, MGE has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 4.75%. Future dividend growth will depend on earnings growth as well as payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Right now, MGE's payout ratio is 54%, which means it paid out 54% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
Earnings growth looks solid for MGEE for this fiscal year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2024 is $3.69 per share, which represents a year-over-year growth rate of 13.54%.
Bottom Line
From greatly improving stock investing profits and reducing overall portfolio risk to providing tax advantages, investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons. 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, MGEE 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).