Credicorp (BAP) is a Top Dividend Stock Right Now: Should You Buy?

Company Overview - Credicorp (BAP) is a Peruvian finance company headquartered in La Molina, operating in the Finance sector [2] - The stock has experienced a price change of 25.81% since the beginning of the year [2] Dividend Information - Credicorp currently pays a dividend of $2.92 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 4.92%, which is higher than the Banks - Foreign industry's yield of 3.94% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.54% [2] - The annualized dividend of $9.29 represents a 37.1% increase from the previous year, with an average annual increase of 3.99% over the last 5 years [2] - The company's current payout ratio is 56%, indicating that it pays out 56% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [2] Earnings Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Credicorp's earnings in 2024 is $18.81 per share, with an expected increase of 15.33% from the previous year [3] Investment Considerations - Credicorp is viewed as a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend performance and current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [4] - The company is positioned well for income investors, as dividends can significantly enhance stock investing profits and reduce overall portfolio risk [4]