Atlantic Union Bankshares (NASDAQ:AUB) Is Paying Out A Larger Dividend Than Last Year

Atlantic Union Bankshares Corporation's (NASDAQ:AUB) dividend will be increasing from last year's payment of the same period to $0.30 on 26th of August. This takes the annual payment to 3.6% of the current stock price, which is about average for the industry.

View our latest analysis for Atlantic Union Bankshares

Atlantic Union Bankshares' Dividend Forecasted To Be Well Covered By Earnings

Solid dividend yields are great, but they only really help us if the payment is sustainable.

Having distributed dividends for at least 10 years, Atlantic Union Bankshares has a long history of paying out a part of its earnings to shareholders. Past distributions do not necessarily guarantee future ones, but Atlantic Union Bankshares' payout ratio of 39% is a good sign as this means that earnings decently cover dividends.

Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 14.1%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the future payout ratio will be 37%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

Atlantic Union Bankshares Has A Solid Track Record

The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. Since 2012, the annual payment back then was $0.28, compared to the most recent full-year payment of $1.20. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 16% a year over that time. We can see that payments have shown some very nice upward momentum without faltering, which provides some reassurance that future payments will also be reliable.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. Atlantic Union Bankshares has impressed us by growing EPS at 10% per 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.

Atlantic Union Bankshares Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

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.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. For instance, we've picked out 1 warning sign for Atlantic Union Bankshares that investors should take into consideration. 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.