Home Bancshares (Conway AR)'s (NYSE:HOMB) Shareholders Will Receive A Bigger Dividend Than Last Year

Home Bancshares, Inc. (Conway, AR)'s (NYSE:HOMB) periodic dividend will be increasing on the 8th of March to $0.18, with investors receiving 9.1% more than last year's $0.165. This makes the dividend yield about the same as the industry average at 2.9%.

See our latest analysis for Home Bancshares (Conway AR)

Home Bancshares (Conway AR)'s Dividend Forecasted To Be Well Covered By Earnings

While it is always good to see a solid dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is feasible.

Home Bancshares (Conway AR) has established itself as a dividend paying company with over 10 years history of distributing earnings to shareholders. Past distributions do not necessarily guarantee future ones, but Home Bancshares (Conway AR)'s payout ratio of 42% is a good sign as this means that earnings decently cover dividends.

Over the next 3 years, EPS is forecast to expand by 48.9%. Analysts estimate the future payout ratio will be 36% over the same time period, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

Home Bancshares (Conway AR) Has A Solid Track Record

Even over a long history of paying dividends, the company's distributions have been remarkably stable. Since 2013, the dividend has gone from $0.10 total annually to $0.66. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 21% over that duration. It is good to see that there has been strong dividend growth, and that there haven't been any cuts for a long time.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. Home Bancshares (Conway AR) has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 11% per annum. Shareholders are getting plenty of the earnings returned to them, which combined with strong growth makes this quite appealing.

We should note that Home Bancshares (Conway AR) has issued stock equal to 25% of shares outstanding. Trying to grow the dividend when issuing new shares reminds us of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus - perpetually pushing a boulder uphill. Companies that consistently issue new shares are often suboptimal from a dividend perspective.

We Really Like Home Bancshares (Conway AR)'s Dividend

In summary, it is always positive to see the dividend being increased, and we are particularly pleased with its overall sustainability. Distributions are quite easily covered by earnings, which are also being converted to cash flows. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. As an example, we've identified 2 warning signs for Home Bancshares (Conway AR) that you should be aware of before investing. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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