Banco Santander-Chile (BSAC) is a Top Dividend Stock Right Now: Should You Buy?

Company Overview - Banco Santander-Chile (BSAC) is headquartered in Santiago, Chile, and operates in the Finance sector [3] - The stock has experienced a price change of 32.72% since the beginning of the year [3] Dividend Information - BSAC currently pays a dividend of $0.99 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.96% [3] - The dividend yield of BSAC exceeds the Banks - Foreign industry's yield of 3.33% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.54% [3] - The current annualized dividend of $0.99 represents a 74% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the last 5 years, BSAC has increased its dividend 3 times year-over-year, with an average annual increase of 9.01% [4] - The company's current payout ratio is 25%, indicating that it paid out 25% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - For the fiscal year, BSAC anticipates solid earnings growth, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 at $2.31 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 22.87% [5] Investment Appeal - BSAC is considered an attractive dividend play and a compelling investment opportunity, currently holding a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [7]