Core Insights - Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NLY) has a monthly dividend yield of 14.83%, surpassing the industry average of 12.9%, with a payout ratio of 101% [1][4] - The company recently increased its dividend by 7.7% to 70 cents per share, marking its first hike in five years, indicating confidence in its cash flow and growth prospects [4][10] - Annaly maintains a strong liquidity position with $7.5 billion in total assets available for financing, including $4.7 billion in unencumbered Agency MBS, providing a competitive edge [5][10] Dividend Yield - Annaly's dividend yield is significantly high at 14.83%, while AGNC Investment Corp. (AGNC) has a yield of 15.93% and Arbor Realty Trust (ABR) has a yield of 12.66% [1][7][8] - AGNC has a payout ratio of 81% and a liquidity of $6 billion, while ABR has a payout ratio of 115% and recently reduced its dividend by 30.3% [7][8] Share Repurchase Program - Annaly's board authorized a share repurchase program of up to $1.5 billion, set to expire on December 31, 2029, although no shares have been repurchased yet [6][10] Price Performance - NLY shares have increased by 6.7% year-to-date, outperforming the industry growth of 1.4% [9][10] Valuation and Earnings Estimates - Annaly trades at a forward price-to-tangible book (P/TB) ratio of 0.96X, slightly above the industry average of 0.95X [13] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NLY's earnings indicates a year-over-year growth of 6.3% for 2025 and 1.4% for 2026, with estimates remaining unchanged over the past 30 days [15][16]

Company Overview - Investar (ISTR) is headquartered in Baton Rouge and has experienced a price change of -12.3% this year [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.1 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.18%, which is lower than the Banks - Southeast industry's yield of 2.4% and higher than the S&P 500's yield of 1.56% [3] Dividend Performance - Investar's current annualized dividend of $0.42 has increased by 2.4% from the previous year [4] - Over the past five years, Investar has raised its dividend five times, achieving an average annual increase of 12.44% [4] - The company's current payout ratio is 20%, indicating that it pays out 20% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - For the fiscal year, Investar anticipates solid earnings growth, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 projected at $1.95 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 3.17% [5] Investment Considerations - Investar is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile and current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [7]

Company Overview - Ventas (VTR) is a Chicago-based real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on seniors housing, with a year-to-date price change of 10.46% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $0.48 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.95%, which is lower than the industry average of 5.19% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.56% [3] Dividend Performance - Ventas has an annualized dividend of $1.92, reflecting a 6.7% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past five years, the company has increased its dividend once on a year-over-year basis, with an average annual increase of 0.37% [4] - The current payout ratio for Ventas is 59%, indicating that it pays out 59% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Outlook - For the fiscal year 2025, the Zacks Consensus Estimate projects earnings of $3.44 per share, representing a 7.84% increase from the previous year [5] Investment Considerations - Dividends are favored by investors for various reasons, including tax advantages and risk reduction in portfolios [6] - High-yielding stocks may face challenges during periods of rising interest rates, but Ventas is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile [7] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating a neutral outlook [7]

Company Overview - DTE Energy is headquartered in Detroit and operates in the Utilities sector [3] - The stock has experienced a price change of 14.61% since the beginning of the year [3] Dividend Information - DTE Energy currently pays a dividend of $1.09 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.15% [3] - The company's annualized dividend of $4.36 has increased by 5.1% from the previous year [4] - Over the last five years, DTE Energy has raised its dividend four times, averaging an annual increase of 1.01% [4] - The current payout ratio is 60%, indicating that 60% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share (EPS) is distributed as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DTE Energy's earnings in 2025 is $7.24 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 6% [5] Investment Appeal - DTE Energy is considered an attractive dividend play and a compelling investment opportunity, holding a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [7]

Company Overview - Associated Banc-Corp (ASB) is headquartered in Green Bay and operates in the Finance sector [3] - The stock has experienced a price change of 1.76% since the beginning of the year [3] Dividend Information - Associated Banc-Corp currently pays a dividend of $0.23 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 3.78% [3] - This yield is higher than the Banks - Midwest industry's yield of 3.14% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.55% [3] - The annualized dividend of $0.92 has increased by 3.4% from the previous year [4] - Over the last 5 years, the company has raised its dividend 4 times, averaging an annual increase of 5.65% [4] - The current payout ratio is 41%, indicating that 41% of its trailing 12-month EPS is distributed as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - For the fiscal year, ASB anticipates solid earnings growth, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 at $2.48 per share, reflecting a year-over-year growth rate of 4.20% [5] Investment Considerations - ASB is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile and current Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [7] - The company is positioned as a strong dividend play, appealing to income investors [7]

Company Overview - M&T Bank Corporation (MTB) is based in Buffalo and operates in the Finance sector, with a year-to-date share price change of -0.8% [3] - The company currently pays a dividend of $1.35 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 2.9%, which is lower than the Banks - Major Regional industry's yield of 3.81% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.54% [3] Dividend Analysis - The annualized dividend of M&T Bank is $5.40, reflecting a 0.9% increase from the previous year [4] - Over the past five years, M&T Bank has increased its dividend three times, achieving an average annual increase of 5.45% [4] - The current payout ratio for M&T Bank is 36%, indicating that the company pays out 36% of its trailing 12-month earnings per share as dividends [4] Earnings Growth Expectations - For the fiscal year 2025, the Zacks Consensus Estimate projects earnings of $16.07 per share, representing an expected increase of 8% from the previous year [5] Investment Considerations - Dividends are favored by investors for various reasons, including improving stock investing profits and providing tax advantages [6] - High-yielding stocks may face challenges during periods of rising interest rates, but M&T Bank is considered a compelling investment opportunity due to its strong dividend profile [7] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating a neutral outlook [7]

Company Overview - First Financial Corp. (THFF) is based in Terre Haute and operates in the Finance sector [3] - The stock has experienced a price change of 6.95% since the beginning of the year [3] Dividend Information - First Financial Corp. currently pays a dividend of $0.51 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 4.13% [3] - The average dividend yield for the Banks - Midwest industry is 3.28%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.63% [3] - The company's annualized dividend of $2.04 has increased by 51.1% compared to the previous year [4] - Over the past 5 years, First Financial Corp. has raised its dividend 4 times, averaging an annual increase of 15.55% [4] - The current payout ratio is 44%, indicating that the company pays out 44% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividends [4] Earnings Growth - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings in 2025 is $6.02 per share, reflecting an expected increase of 50.50% from the previous year [5] Investment Appeal - First Financial Corp. is considered an attractive dividend investment and a compelling opportunity, holding a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) [7]

Core Viewpoint - Investors are becoming skeptical about the safety of dividends when yields exceed 5%, with Pfizer's current yield at approximately 7.5% raising concerns about potential cuts [1][2]. Dividend Analysis - Pfizer's current quarterly dividend is $0.43, totaling $1.72 annually, while its diluted EPS for 2024 is $1.41, indicating that the EPS is below the annual dividend rate [3]. - The payout ratio, which compares dividends to EPS, is a critical metric for assessing dividend sustainability, but it can be misleading due to non-cash items affecting earnings [4]. Free Cash Flow - Pfizer's free cash flow for the previous year was $9.8 billion, with cash dividend payments at $9.5 billion, suggesting that the dividend payout is sustainable as free cash exceeds dividend payments [5][6]. - The company’s free cash flow metric is essential as it excludes non-cash items, providing a clearer picture of cash generation [5]. Investment Potential - Pfizer's stock is trading at a low valuation of 8 times its estimated future earnings, presenting a potential bargain for income investors [7]. - The CEO has referred to the dividend as a "sacred cow," indicating a strong commitment to maintaining the dividend policy despite potential risks from tariffs [8]. Long-term Outlook - Despite a decline in stock price this year, Pfizer may be a suitable long-term investment in the healthcare sector, allowing investors to hold without frequent monitoring [9].

Whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities, all investors love seeing their portfolios score big returns. But when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a ...

All investors love getting big returns from their portfolio, whether it's through stocks, bonds, ETFs, or other types of securities. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus.While cash flow can come from bond interest or interest from other types of investments, income investors hone in on dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a metric tha ...