There's A Lot To Like About United Security Bancshares' (NASDAQ:UBFO) Upcoming US$0.11 Dividend

Readers hoping to buy United Security Bancshares (NASDAQ:UBFO) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. If you purchase the stock on or after the 31st of December, you won't be eligible to receive this dividend, when it is paid on the 19th of January.

United Security Bancshares's next dividend payment will be US$0.11 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed US$0.44 to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that United Security Bancshares has a trailing yield of 6.4% on the current share price of $6.92. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. So we need to investigate whether United Security Bancshares can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.

Check out our latest analysis for United Security Bancshares

Dividends are usually paid out of company profits, so if a company pays out more than it earned then its dividend is usually at greater risk of being cut. Its dividend payout ratio is 75% of profit, which means the company is paying out a majority of its earnings. The relatively limited profit reinvestment could slow the rate of future earnings growth. We'd be worried about the risk of a drop in earnings.

When a company paid out less in dividends than it earned in profit, this generally suggests its dividend is affordable. The lower the % of its profit that it pays out, the greater the margin of safety for the dividend if the business enters a downturn.

Click here to see how much of its profit United Security Bancshares paid out over the last 12 months.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Businesses with strong growth prospects usually make the best dividend payers, because it's easier to grow dividends when earnings per share are improving. Investors love dividends, so if earnings fall and the dividend is reduced, expect a stock to be sold off heavily at the same time. This is why it's a relief to see United Security Bancshares earnings per share are up 9.7% per annum over the last five years.

Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. In the last four years, United Security Bancshares has lifted its dividend by approximately 22% a year on average. It's encouraging to see the company lifting dividends while earnings are growing, suggesting at least some corporate interest in rewarding shareholders.

To Sum It Up

Is United Security Bancshares an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? United Security Bancshares has been generating some growth in earnings per share while paying out more than half of its earnings to shareholders in the form of dividends. We think there are likely better opportunities out there.

So if you want to do more digging on United Security Bancshares, you'll find it worthwhile knowing the risks that this stock faces. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for United Security Bancshares you should know about.

We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. 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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