Ryman Hospitality Properties (RHP) is a Top Dividend Stock Right Now: Should You Buy?

Company Overview - Ryman Hospitality Properties (RHP) is headquartered in Nashville and operates in the Finance sector, specifically as a hotel and resort real estate investment trust (REIT) [3] - The stock has experienced a price decline of 10.86% since the beginning of the year [3] Dividend Information - RHP currently pays a dividend of $1.1 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 4.48%, which is slightly below the REIT and Equity Trust - Other industry's yield of 4.59% and significantly higher than the S&P 500's yield of 1.63% [3] - The annualized dividend of $4.40 represents a 14.3% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past five years, RHP has increased its dividend two times year-over-year, with an average annual increase of 0.71% [4] - The current payout ratio for RHP is 54%, indicating that the company pays out 54% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share (EPS) as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - For the fiscal year 2024, RHP anticipates solid earnings growth, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate projecting an EPS of $8.11, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 0.25% [5] Investment Considerations - RHP is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile and current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [7] - The company is positioned as a strong dividend play, appealing to income investors despite the general trend of high-yielding stocks facing challenges during periods of rising interest rates [7]