Interested In Evans Bancorp's (NYSEMKT:EVBN) Upcoming US$0.60 Dividend? You Have Four Days Left

Regular readers will know that we love our dividends at Simply Wall St, which is why it's exciting to see Evans Bancorp, Inc. (NYSEMKT:EVBN) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next four days. You can purchase shares before the 15th of March in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 6th of April.

Evans Bancorp's next dividend payment will be US$0.60 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of US$1.16 to shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Evans Bancorp has a trailing yield of 3.5% on the current stock price of $34.48. We love seeing companies pay a dividend, but it's also important to be sure that laying the golden eggs isn't going to kill our golden goose! So we need to investigate whether Evans Bancorp can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.

See our latest analysis for Evans Bancorp

Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. Evans Bancorp paid out more than half (54%) of its earnings last year, which is a regular payout ratio for most companies.

Generally speaking, the lower a company's payout ratios, the more resilient its dividend usually is.

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. If business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. This is why it's a relief to see Evans Bancorp earnings per share are up 2.9% 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. Since the start of our data, 10 years ago, Evans Bancorp has lifted its dividend by approximately 12% 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.

The Bottom Line

Is Evans Bancorp an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Earnings per share have been growing at a reasonable rate, and the company is paying out a bit over half its earnings as dividends. It doesn't appear an outstanding opportunity, but could be worth a closer look.

However if you're still interested in Evans Bancorp as a potential investment, you should definitely consider some of the risks involved with Evans Bancorp. Our analysis shows 3 warning signs for Evans Bancorp and you should be aware of these before buying any shares.

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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