Riverview Bancorp (NASDAQ:RVSB) Has Announced That It Will Be Increasing Its Dividend To US$0.06

Riverview Bancorp, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:RVSB) dividend will be increasing to US$0.06 on 21st of July. Based on the announced payment, the dividend yield for the company will be 3.4%, which is fairly typical for the industry.

View our latest analysis for Riverview Bancorp

Riverview Bancorp's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

We aren't too impressed by dividend yields unless they can be sustained over time. However, prior to this announcement, Riverview Bancorp's dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. As a result, a large proportion of what it earned was being reinvested back into the business.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to fall by 20.6%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could be 35%, which we consider to be quite comfortable, with most of the company's earnings left over to grow the business in the future.

Riverview Bancorp Is Still Building Its Track Record

The dividend's track record has been pretty solid, but with only 7 years of history we want to see a few more years of history before making any solid conclusions. The dividend has gone from US$0.045 in 2015 to the most recent annual payment of US$0.24. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 27% over that duration. It is always nice to see strong dividend growth, but with such a short payment history we wouldn't be inclined to rely on it until a longer track record can be developed.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. Riverview Bancorp has impressed us by growing EPS at 25% per year over the past five years. Rapid earnings growth and a low payout ratio suggest this company has been effectively reinvesting in its business. Should that continue, this company could have a bright future.

Riverview Bancorp Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

Overall, a dividend increase is always good, and we think that Riverview Bancorp is a strong income stock thanks to its track record and growing earnings. The company is generating plenty of cash, and the earnings also quite easily cover the distributions. However, it is worth noting that the earnings are expected to fall over the next year, which may not change the long term outlook, but could affect the dividend payment in the next 12 months. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. To that end, Riverview Bancorp has 2 warning signs (and 1 which shouldn't be ignored) we think you should know about. 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.