Sierra Bancorp (BSRR) is a Top Dividend Stock Right Now: Should You Buy?

Company Overview - Sierra Bancorp is based in Porterville and operates in the Finance sector, with a year-to-date share price change of 2.97% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.25 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.36%, which is higher than the Banks - West industry's yield of 3.2% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.58% [3] Dividend Performance - The current annualized dividend of Sierra Bancorp is $1, reflecting a 6.4% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past five years, the company has increased its dividend three times, achieving an average annual increase of 3.98% [4] - The current payout ratio is 35%, indicating that the company paid out 35% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Outlook - Sierra Bancorp is expected to see earnings growth this fiscal year, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 projected at $2.95 per share, representing a year-over-year growth rate of 4.61% [5] Investment Considerations - Sierra Bancorp is viewed as a compelling investment opportunity due to its attractive dividend and strong Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [7]