ConnectOne Bancorp (CNOB) Could Be a Great Choice

Company Overview - ConnectOne Bancorp (CNOB) is based in Englewood Cliffs and operates in the Finance sector, with a year-to-date share price change of 10.17% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.18 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.85%, which is higher than the Banks - Northeast industry's yield of 2.58% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.55% [3] Dividend Performance - The current annualized dividend of $0.72 represents a 1.4% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past five years, ConnectOne Bancorp has increased its dividend four times, achieving an average annual increase of 19.41% [4] - The company's current payout ratio is 40%, indicating that it pays out 40% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - For the fiscal year, CNOB anticipates solid earnings growth, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 projected at $2.23 per share, reflecting a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 22.53% [5] Investment Appeal - ConnectOne Bancorp is viewed as a compelling investment opportunity due to its attractive dividend and strong Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [7]