Univest (UVSP) is a Top Dividend Stock Right Now: Should You Buy?

Company Overview - Univest (UVSP) is headquartered in Souderton and operates in the Finance sector, with a year-to-date stock price change of 2.08% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.22 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.63%, which is higher than the Banks - Northeast industry's yield of 2.42% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.36% [3] Dividend Performance - Univest's annualized dividend of $0.88 has increased by 1.1% from the previous year [4] - Over the last five years, the company has raised its dividend twice on a year-over-year basis, achieving an average annual increase of 1.61% [4] - The current payout ratio is 29%, indicating that the company distributes 29% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Expectations - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Univest's earnings in 2026 is projected at $3.31 per share, reflecting an expected increase of 5.75% from the previous year [5] - Future dividend growth will depend on earnings growth and the payout ratio [4] Investment Considerations - Univest is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile and current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [6] - Income investors are attracted to dividends for various reasons, including tax advantages and reduced overall portfolio risk [5]