Stock Analysis

AmeriServ Financial (NASDAQ:ASRV) Has Announced A Dividend Of $0.03

NasdaqGM:ASRV
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The board of AmeriServ Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASRV) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 21st of August, with investors receiving $0.03 per share. Based on this payment, the dividend yield on the company's stock will be 4.1%, which is an attractive boost to shareholder returns.

Check out our latest analysis for AmeriServ Financial

AmeriServ Financial's Earnings Will Easily Cover The Distributions

If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much.

AmeriServ Financial has a long history of paying out dividends, with its current track record at a minimum of 10 years. Past distributions do not necessarily guarantee future ones, but AmeriServ Financial's payout ratio of 31% is a good sign as this means that earnings decently cover dividends.

Over the next year, EPS could expand by 13.5% if recent trends continue. If the dividend continues on this path, the future payout ratio could be 32% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.

historic-dividend
NasdaqGM:ASRV Historic Dividend July 25th 2023

AmeriServ Financial Has A Solid Track Record

The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. Since 2013, the annual payment back then was $0.04, compared to the most recent full-year payment of $0.12. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 12% per annum over that time. Rapidly growing dividends for a long time is a very valuable feature for an income stock.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. We are encouraged to see that AmeriServ Financial has grown earnings per share at 13% per year over the past five years. AmeriServ Financial definitely has the potential to grow its dividend in the future with earnings on an uptrend and a low payout ratio.

We Really Like AmeriServ Financial's Dividend

Overall, we like to see the dividend staying consistent, and we think AmeriServ Financial might even raise payments in the future. 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.

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. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for AmeriServ Financial that you should be aware of before investing. Is AmeriServ Financial not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top 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.