Why You Might Be Interested In Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEBK) For Its Upcoming Dividend
Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEBK) stock is about to trade ex-dividend in four days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before a company's record date, which is the date on which the company determines which shareholders are entitled to receive a dividend. The ex-dividend date is important because any transaction on a stock needs to have been settled before the record date in order to be eligible for a dividend. Thus, you can purchase Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina's shares before the 2nd of December in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 15th of December.
The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.17 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of US$0.68 to shareholders. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina has a trailing yield of approximately 2.4% on its current stock price of $28.5. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. So we need to investigate whether Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.
Check out our latest analysis for Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina
If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Fortunately Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina's payout ratio is modest, at just 26% of profit.
When a company paid out less in dividends than it earned in profit, this generally suggests its dividend is affordable. The lower the % of its profit that it pays out, the greater the margin of safety for the dividend if the business enters a downturn.
Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?
Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. Investors love dividends, so if earnings fall and the dividend is reduced, expect a stock to be sold off heavily at the same time. With that in mind, we're encouraged by the steady growth at Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina, with earnings per share up 9.5% on average over the last five years.
Many investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. In the last 10 years, Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina has lifted its dividend by approximately 25% a year on average. It's encouraging to see the company lifting dividends while earnings are growing, suggesting at least some corporate interest in rewarding shareholders.
Final Takeaway
Has Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina got what it takes to maintain its dividend payments? It has been growing its earnings per share somewhat in recent years, although it reinvests more than half its earnings in the business, which could suggest there are some growth projects that have not yet reached fruition. We think this is a pretty attractive combination, and would be interested in investigating Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina more closely.
On that note, you'll want to research what risks Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina is facing. Our analysis shows 1 warning sign for Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina and you should be aware of this before buying any shares.
We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.
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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