Why Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) is a Great Dividend Stock Right Now

Company Overview - Phillips Edison & Company, Inc. (PECO) is headquartered in Cincinnati and operates in the Finance sector [3] - The stock has experienced a price change of 10.35% since the beginning of the year [3] Dividend Information - PECO currently pays a dividend of $0.33 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.31%, which is lower than the REIT and Equity Trust - Retail industry's yield of 4% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.36% [3] - The annualized dividend of $1.30 represents a 3.8% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past 5 years, PECO has increased its dividend 5 times, achieving an average annual increase of 4.79% [4] - The current payout ratio is 50%, indicating that the company pays out 50% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for PECO's earnings in 2026 is $2.74 per share, reflecting a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 5.38% [5] Investment Considerations - PECO is viewed as a compelling investment opportunity due to its attractive dividend and strong Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [6] - The company is positioned well for income investors, especially during periods of rising interest rates, despite the general struggle of high-yielding stocks [6]