Banco Latinoamericano (BLX) is a Top Dividend Stock Right Now: Should You Buy?

Company Overview - Banco Latinoamericano (BLX) is headquartered in Panama City and focuses on providing trade financing in South and Central America [4] - The stock has experienced a price change of 35.81% year-to-date [4] Dividend Information - BLX currently pays a dividend of $0.5 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 5.95%, which is higher than the Banks - Foreign industry's yield of 4.56% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.56% [4] - The company's annualized dividend has increased by 100% from the previous year, with an average annual increase of 0.89% over the last five years [6] - The current payout ratio for BLX is 40%, indicating that it pays out 40% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [6] Earnings Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BLX's earnings in 2024 is projected at $4.60 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 1.10% [5] Investment Considerations - BLX is considered a strong dividend play, especially during periods of rising interest rates when high-yielding stocks may struggle [1] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating a neutral outlook [1]