Univest (UVSP) Could Be a Great Choice

Company Overview - Univest is headquartered in Souderton and operates as a holding company for Univest Bank and Trust Co. [3] - The stock has experienced a price change of -0.44% year-to-date [3]. Dividend Information - Univest currently pays a dividend of $0.22 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3%, which is higher than the Northeast banking industry's yield of 2.82% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.6% [3]. - The annualized dividend of $0.88 represents a 4.8% increase from the previous year [4]. - Over the past five years, Univest has increased its dividend once on a year-over-year basis, with an average annual increase of 1.42% [4]. - The current payout ratio is 32%, indicating that the company paid out 32% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4]. Earnings Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Univest's earnings in 2025 is projected at $2.63 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 5.20% [5]. Investment Considerations - Univest is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile and current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [7].