TowneBank (TOWN) is a Top Dividend Stock Right Now: Should You Buy?

Company Overview - TowneBank (TOWN) is based in Portsmouth and operates in the Finance sector, with a year-to-date share price change of 1.09% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.27 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.14%, which is higher than the Banks - Southeast industry's yield of 2.28% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.5% [3] Dividend Performance - TowneBank's annualized dividend of $1.08 has increased by 8% from the previous year [4] - Over the last five years, the company has raised its dividend four times, achieving an average annual increase of 8.72% [4] - The current payout ratio is 41%, indicating that the company pays out 41% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - For the fiscal year 2025, the Zacks Consensus Estimate predicts earnings of $3.00 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 37.61% [5] Investment Considerations - TowneBank is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile and favorable earnings growth outlook [6] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), suggesting a stable investment position [6]