Yahoo Finance What To Know Before Buying MutualFirst Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:MFSF) For Its Dividend
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A large part of investment returns can be generated by dividend-paying stock given their role in compounding returns over time. Historically, MutualFirst Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:MFSF) has been paying a dividend to shareholders. Today it yields 2.6%. Does MutualFirst Financial tick all the boxes of a great dividend stock? Below, I’ll take you through my analysis.
See our latest analysis for MutualFirst Financial
5 checks you should do on a dividend stock
When assessing a stock as a potential addition to my dividend Portfolio, I look at these five areas:
Is its annual yield among the top 25% of dividend-paying companies?
Does it consistently pay out dividends without missing a payment of significantly cutting payout?
Has the amount of dividend per share grown over the past?
Can it afford to pay the current rate of dividends from its earnings?
Will the company be able to keep paying dividend based on the future earnings growth?
How does MutualFirst Financial fare?
MutualFirst Financial has a trailing twelve-month payout ratio of 33%, meaning the dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. In the near future, analysts are predicting a payout ratio of 31% which, assuming the share price stays the same, leads to a dividend yield of around 2.8%. In addition to this, EPS should increase to $2.63.
When assessing the forecast sustainability of a dividend it is also worth considering the cash flow of the business. A company with strong cash flow, relative to earnings, can sometimes sustain a high pay out ratio.
If dividend is a key criteria in your investment consideration, then you need to make sure the dividend stock you’re eyeing out is reliable in its payments. Whilst its per-share payments have increased during the past 10 years, there has been some hiccups. Shareholders would have seen a few years of reduced payments in this time.
In terms of its peers, MutualFirst Financial generates a yield of 2.6%, which is on the low-side for Banks stocks.
Next Steps:
With this in mind, I definitely rank MutualFirst Financial as a strong dividend stock, and makes it worth further research for anyone who likes steady income generation from their portfolio. Given that this is purely a dividend analysis, you should always research extensively before deciding whether or not a stock is an appropriate investment for you. I always recommend analysing the company’s fundamentals and underlying business before making an investment decision. Below, I’ve compiled three fundamental aspects you should look at:
Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for MFSF’s future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for MFSF’s outlook.
Valuation: What is MFSF worth today? Even if the stock is a cash cow, it’s not worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether MFSF is currently mispriced by the market.
Other Dividend Rockstars: Are there better dividend payers with stronger fundamentals out there? Check out our free list of these great stocks here.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
