Chemung Financial (CHMG) is a Top Dividend Stock Right Now: Should You Buy?

Company Overview - Chemung Financial (CHMG) is based in Elmira and operates in the Finance sector, with a year-to-date share price change of -1.76% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.31 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.67%, which is higher than the Banks - Southeast industry's yield of 2.43% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.57% [3] Dividend Performance - The current annualized dividend of Chemung Financial is$ 1.28, reflecting a 3.2% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past 5 years, the company has increased its dividend once on a year-over-year basis, with an average annual increase of 4.05% [4] - The current payout ratio is 25%, indicating that the company paid out 25% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Outlook - For the fiscal year 2025, the Zacks Consensus Estimate predicts earnings of $5.38 per share, with an expected increase of 8.47% from the previous year [5] Investment Considerations - Chemung Financial is viewed as an attractive dividend play and a compelling investment opportunity, holding a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [7]