Why CenterPoint Energy (CNP) is a Great Dividend Stock Right Now

Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. But when you're an income investor, your primary focus is generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments.Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and, of course, 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 make up large portions of long-term returns, and in many cases, dividend contributions surpass one-third of total returns.CenterPoint Energy (CNP) is headquartered in Houston, and is in the Utilities sector. The stock has seen a price change of 19.92% since the start of the year. Currently paying a dividend of $0.22 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 2.31%. In comparison, the Utility - Electric Power industry's yield is 3.25%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.49%.Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $0.88 is up 8.6% from last year. Over the last 5 years, CenterPoint Energy has increased its dividend 5 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 8.33%. Looking ahead, future dividend growth will be dependent on earnings growth and payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. CenterPoint's current payout ratio is 58%, meaning it paid out 58% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend.CNP is expecting earnings to expand this fiscal year as well. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 is $1.75 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 8.02%.Investors like dividends for many reasons; they greatly improve stock investing profits, decrease overall portfolio risk, and carry tax advantages, among others. It's important to keep in mind that not all companies provide a quarterly payout.High-growth firms or tech start-ups, for example, rarely provide their shareholders a dividend, while larger, more established companies that have more secure profits are often seen as the best dividend options. During periods of rising interest rates, income investors must be mindful that high-yielding stocks tend to struggle. With that in mind, CNP 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).5 Stocks Set to DoubleEach was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the coming year. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +112%, +171%, +209% and +232%.Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CNP): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks