Peoples Financial Services Corp.'s (NASDAQ:PFIS) dividend will be increasing from last year's payment of the same period to $0.41 on 15th of March. Based on this payment, the dividend yield for the company will be 3.1%, which is fairly typical for the industry.

See our latest analysis for Peoples Financial Services

Peoples Financial Services' Earnings Will Easily Cover The Distributions

We aren't too impressed by dividend yields unless they can be sustained over time.

Peoples Financial Services has a good history of paying out dividends, with its current track record at 9 years. Past distributions do not necessarily guarantee future ones, but Peoples Financial Services' payout ratio of 30% is a good sign for current shareholders as this means that earnings decently cover dividends.

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 9.1%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the future payout ratio will be 29%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

Peoples Financial Services Doesn't Have A Long Payment History

The dividend's track record has been pretty solid, but with only 9 years of history we want to see a few more years of history before making any solid conclusions. Since 2014, the annual payment back then was $1.24, compared to the most recent full-year payment of $1.60. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 2.9% over that duration. Peoples Financial Services hasn't been paying a dividend for very long, so we wouldn't get to excited about its record of growth just yet.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. It's encouraging to see that Peoples Financial Services has been growing its earnings per share at 16% a year over the past five years. Growth in EPS bodes well for the dividend, as does the low payout ratio that the company is currently reporting.

We Really Like Peoples Financial Services' Dividend

In summary, it is always positive to see the dividend being increased, and we are particularly pleased with its overall sustainability. The company is easily earning enough to cover its dividend payments and it is great to see that these earnings are being translated into cash flow. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 1 warning sign for Peoples Financial Services that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks.

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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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