First Commonwealth Financial (FCF) is a Top Dividend Stock Right Now: Should You Buy?

Company Overview - First Commonwealth Financial (FCF) is based in Indiana and operates in the Finance sector, with shares experiencing a price change of -5.85% this year [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.14 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.39%, which is higher than the Banks - Northeast industry's yield of 2.82% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.55% [3] Dividend Performance - The current annualized dividend of $0.54 represents a 4.9% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past 5 years, FCF has increased its dividend 4 times, achieving an average annual increase of 4.10% [4] - The company's payout ratio is currently 39%, indicating that it paid out 39% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - For the fiscal year, FCF anticipates solid earnings growth, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 projected at $1.43 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 2.14% [5] Investment Appeal - FCF is considered an attractive dividend play and a compelling investment opportunity, holding a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [7]