Heritage Financial (US:HFWA) ZACKSยท2025-07-28 16:45Company Overview - Heritage Financial (HFWA) is based in Olympia and operates in the Finance sector, with a year-to-date share price change of -4.33% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.24 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 4.1%, which is significantly higher than the Financial - Savings and Loan industry's yield of 2.94% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.45% [3] Dividend Performance - The current annualized dividend of $0.96 represents a 4.3% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past five years, Heritage Financial has increased its dividend four times, achieving an average annual increase of 4.17% [4] - The company's current payout ratio is 52%, indicating that it pays out 52% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - For the fiscal year, HFWA anticipates solid earnings growth, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 projected at $2.07 per share, reflecting an expected increase of 11.89% from the previous year [5] Investment Appeal - HFWA is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile and the current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [6] - The company is positioned as a strong dividend play, appealing to income investors despite the general trend of high-yielding stocks facing challenges during periods of rising interest rates [6]