First Hawaiian (NASDAQ:FHB) Is Paying Out A Dividend Of $0.26
First Hawaiian, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:FHB) investors are due to receive a payment of $0.26 per share on 2nd of September. This means the annual payment is 4.0% of the current stock price, which is above the average for the industry.
View our latest analysis for First Hawaiian
First Hawaiian's Earnings Will Easily Cover The Distributions
We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable.
First Hawaiian has established itself as a dividend paying company, given its 6-year history of distributing earnings to shareholders. Based on First Hawaiian's last earnings report, the payout ratio is at a decent 56%, meaning that the company is able to pay out its dividend with a bit of room to spare.
Over the next 3 years, EPS is forecast to expand by 18.6%. Analysts forecast the future payout ratio could be 48% over the same time horizon, which is a number we think the company can maintain.
First Hawaiian Doesn't Have A Long Payment History
Even though the company has been paying a consistent dividend for a while, we would like to see a few more years before we feel comfortable relying on it. Since 2016, the dividend has gone from $0.80 total annually to $1.04. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 4.5% per annum over that time. It's good to see at least some dividend growth. Yet with a relatively short dividend paying history, we wouldn't want to depend on this dividend too heavily.
Dividend Growth May Be Hard To Achieve
Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. Earnings per share has been crawling upwards at 3.2% per year. Growth of 3.2% per annum is not particularly high, which might explain why the company is paying out a higher proportion of earnings. This isn't bad in itself, but unless earnings growth pick up we wouldn't expect dividends to grow either.
Our Thoughts On First Hawaiian's Dividend
Overall, a consistent dividend is a good thing, and we think that First Hawaiian has the ability to continue this into the future. The dividend has been at reasonable levels historically, but that hasn't translated into a consistent payment. The payment isn't stellar, but it could make a decent addition to a dividend portfolio.
It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. For instance, we've picked out 1 warning sign for First Hawaiian that investors should take into consideration. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.
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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
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