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All investors love getting big returns from their portfolio, whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities. 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.
Union Pacific in Focus
Based in Omaha, Union Pacific (UNP - Free Report) is in the Transportation sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of -2.03%. The railroad is paying out a dividend of $1.34 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 2.23% compared to the Transportation - Rail industry's yield of 1.39% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.51%.
In terms of dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $5.36 is up 3.1% from last year. Union Pacific has increased its dividend 3 times on a year-over-year basis over the last 5 years for an average annual increase of 8.85%. Any future dividend growth will depend on both earnings growth and the company's payout ratio; a payout ratio is the proportion of a firm's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Right now, Union Pacific's payout ratio is 49%, which means it paid out 49% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
Earnings growth looks solid for UNP for this fiscal year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2024 is $11.10 per share, which represents a year-over-year growth rate of 6.22%.
Bottom Line
Investors like dividends for many reasons; they greatly improve stock investing profits, decrease overall portfolio risk, and carry tax advantages, among others. It's important to keep in mind that not all companies provide 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, UNP 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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Union Pacific (UNP) Could Be a Great Choice
All investors love getting big returns from their portfolio, whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities. 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.
Union Pacific in Focus
Based in Omaha, Union Pacific (UNP - Free Report) is in the Transportation sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of -2.03%. The railroad is paying out a dividend of $1.34 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 2.23% compared to the Transportation - Rail industry's yield of 1.39% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.51%.
In terms of dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $5.36 is up 3.1% from last year. Union Pacific has increased its dividend 3 times on a year-over-year basis over the last 5 years for an average annual increase of 8.85%. Any future dividend growth will depend on both earnings growth and the company's payout ratio; a payout ratio is the proportion of a firm's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Right now, Union Pacific's payout ratio is 49%, which means it paid out 49% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
Earnings growth looks solid for UNP for this fiscal year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2024 is $11.10 per share, which represents a year-over-year growth rate of 6.22%.
Bottom Line
Investors like dividends for many reasons; they greatly improve stock investing profits, decrease overall portfolio risk, and carry tax advantages, among others. It's important to keep in mind that not all companies provide 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, UNP 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).