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.
First Mid Bancshares (FMBH) is a Top Dividend Stock Right Now: Should You Buy?
Read MoreHide Full Article
All investors love getting big returns from their portfolio, whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities. 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 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.
First Mid Bancshares in Focus
Based in Mattoon, First Mid Bancshares (FMBH - Free Report) is in the Finance sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of -3.99%. The bank holding company is paying out a dividend of $0.24 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 2.72% compared to the Banks - Northeast industry's yield of 2.89% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.57%.
Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $0.96 is up 2.1% from last year. First Mid Bancshares has increased its dividend 4 times on a year-over-year basis over the last 5 years for an average annual increase of 4.04%. 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, First Mid Bancshares's payout ratio is 28%, which means it paid out 28% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
FMBH is expecting earnings to expand this fiscal year as well. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 is $3.61 per share, which represents a year-over-year growth rate of 3.74%.
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. Income investors must be conscious of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. That said, they can take comfort from the fact that FMBH is not only an attractive dividend play, but is also a compelling investment opportunity with a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
See More Zacks Research for These Tickers
Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:
Image: Bigstock
First Mid Bancshares (FMBH) is a Top Dividend Stock Right Now: Should You Buy?
All investors love getting big returns from their portfolio, whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities. 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 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.
First Mid Bancshares in Focus
Based in Mattoon, First Mid Bancshares (FMBH - Free Report) is in the Finance sector, and so far this year, shares have seen a price change of -3.99%. The bank holding company is paying out a dividend of $0.24 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 2.72% compared to the Banks - Northeast industry's yield of 2.89% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.57%.
Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $0.96 is up 2.1% from last year. First Mid Bancshares has increased its dividend 4 times on a year-over-year basis over the last 5 years for an average annual increase of 4.04%. 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, First Mid Bancshares's payout ratio is 28%, which means it paid out 28% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.
FMBH is expecting earnings to expand this fiscal year as well. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 is $3.61 per share, which represents a year-over-year growth rate of 3.74%.
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. Income investors must be conscious of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. That said, they can take comfort from the fact that FMBH is not only an attractive dividend play, but is also a compelling investment opportunity with a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).