Equity Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:EQBK) stock is about to trade ex-dividend in three days. Typically, the ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date which is the date on which a company determines the shareholders eligible to receive a dividend. It is important to be aware of the ex-dividend date because any trade on the stock needs to have been settled on or before the record date. This means that investors who purchase Equity Bancshares’ shares on or after the 29th of June will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 14th of July.
The company’s next dividend payment will be US$0.08 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed US$0.32 to shareholders. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, Equity Bancshares has a trailing yield of approximately 1.1% on its current stock price of $29.89. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Equity Bancshares’s dividend is reliable and sustainable. We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it’s growing.
View our latest analysis for Equity Bancshares
Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. Equity Bancshares paid out just 7.0% of its profit last year, which we think is conservatively low and leaves plenty of margin for unexpected circumstances.
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.
Click here to see the company’s payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.
Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?
Businesses with strong growth prospects usually make the best dividend payers, because it’s easier to grow dividends when earnings per share are improving. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. It’s encouraging to see Equity Bancshares has grown its earnings rapidly, up 25% a year for the past five years.
Given that Equity Bancshares has only been paying a dividend for a year, there’s not much of a past history to draw insight from.
To Sum It Up
Is Equity Bancshares worth buying for its dividend? Typically, companies that are growing rapidly and paying out a low fraction of earnings are keeping the profits for reinvestment in the business. This is one of the most attractive investment combinations under this analysis, as it can create substantial value for investors over the long run. In summary, Equity Bancshares appears to have some promise as a dividend stock, and we’d suggest taking a closer look at it.
On that note, you’ll want to research what risks Equity Bancshares is facing. For example, we’ve found 2 warning signs for Equity Bancshares that we recommend you consider before investing in the business.
A common investing mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a full list of high-yield dividend stocks.
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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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