Prudential Bancorp (NASDAQ:PBIP) Has Announced A Dividend Of US$0.07
Prudential Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:PBIP) will pay a dividend of US$0.07 on the 21st of December. Including this payment, the dividend yield on the stock will be 2.0%, which is a modest boost for shareholders' returns.
Check out our latest analysis for Prudential Bancorp
Prudential Bancorp's Earnings Easily Cover the Distributions
Even a low dividend yield can be attractive if it is sustained for years on end. Before making this announcement, Prudential Bancorp was easily earning enough to cover the dividend. As a result, a large proportion of what it earned was being reinvested back into the business.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 8.2% over the next year. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 37% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.
Dividend Volatility
Although the company has a long dividend history, it has been cut at least once in the last 10 years. Since 2011, the dividend has gone from US$0.21 to US$0.28. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 2.8% over that duration. The dividend has seen some fluctuations in the past, so even though the dividend was raised this year, we should remember that it has been cut in the past.
The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow
Given that the dividend has been cut in the past, we need to check if earnings are growing and if that might lead to stronger dividends in the future. Prudential Bancorp has impressed us by growing EPS at 28% per year over the past five years. A low payout ratio gives the company a lot of flexibility, and growing earnings also make it very easy for it to grow the dividend.
We Really Like Prudential Bancorp's Dividend
Overall, we think that this is a great income investment, and we think that maintaining the dividend this year may have been a conservative choice. Earnings are easily covering distributions, and the company is generating plenty of cash. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity.
It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 2 warning signs for Prudential Bancorp that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. We have also put together a list of global stocks with a solid dividend.
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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.
