This is Why HP (HPQ) is a Great Dividend Stock Dividends are one of the best benefits to being a shareholder, but finding a great dividend stock is no easy task. Does HP (HPQ) have what it takes? Let's find...

Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. However, 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 that coveted distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders, and investors often view it by its dividend yield, a metric that measures the dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases.

HP in Focus

HP (HPQ) is headquartered in Palo Alto, and is in the Computer and Technology sector. The stock has seen a price change of 47.01% since the start of the year. The personal computer and printer maker is paying out a dividend of $0.19 per share at the moment, with a dividend yield of 2.77% compared to the Computer - Mini computers industry's yield of 1.16% and the S&P 500's yield of 1.37%.

In terms of dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $1 is up 29% from last year. Over the last 5 years, HP has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 10.20%. Any future dividend growth will depend on both earnings growth and the company's payout ratio; a payout ratio is the proportion of a firm's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. Right now, HP's payout ratio is 20%, which means it paid out 20% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.

HPQ is expecting earnings to expand this fiscal year as well. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2021 is $4.16 per share, with earnings expected to increase 9.76% from the year ago period.

Bottom Line

From greatly improving stock investing profits and reducing overall portfolio risk to providing tax advantages, investors like dividends for a variety of different reasons. However, not all companies offer a quarterly payout.

For instance, it's a rare occurrence when a tech start-up or big growth business offers their shareholders a dividend. It's more common to see larger companies with more established profits give out dividends. Income investors must be conscious of the fact that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle during periods of rising interest rates. With that in mind, HPQ is a compelling investment opportunity. Not only is it a strong dividend play, but the stock currently sits at a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold).

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