Heritage Financial (HFWA) Could Be a Great Choice

Company Overview - Heritage Financial (HFWA) is headquartered in Olympia and has experienced a price change of -1.43% this year [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.24 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.98%, which is higher than the Financial - Savings and Loan industry's yield of 2.91% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.56% [3] Dividend Performance - The current annualized dividend of $0.96 represents a 4.3% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past five years, Heritage Financial has increased its dividend four times, averaging an annual increase of 3.60% [4] - The company's current payout ratio is 54%, indicating that it pays out 54% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - Heritage Financial is expected to see earnings growth this fiscal year, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 at $2.09 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 12.97% [5] Investment Appeal - Heritage Financial is considered an attractive dividend play and a compelling investment opportunity, holding a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [7]