BayCom Corp's (NASDAQ:BCML) periodic dividend will be increasing on the 10th of January to $0.15, with investors receiving 50% more than last year's $0.10. Although the dividend is now higher, the yield is only 1.4%, which is below the industry average.

See our latest analysis for BayCom

BayCom's Payment Expected To Have Solid Earnings Coverage

The dividend yield is a little bit low, but sustainability of the payments is also an important part of evaluating an income stock.

BayCom has a short history of paying out dividends, with its current track record at only 3 years. Based on its last earnings report however, the payout ratio is at a comfortable 19%, meaning that BayCom may be able to sustain this dividend for future years if it continues on this earnings trend.

Looking forward, EPS is forecast to rise by 16.8% over the next 3 years. Analysts estimate the future payout ratio will be 26% over the same time period, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

BayCom Doesn't Have A Long Payment History

Looking back, the dividend has been stable, but the company hasn't been paying a dividend for very long so we can't be confident that the dividend will remain stable through all economic environments. Since 2021, the dividend has gone from $0.20 total annually to $0.40. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 26% a year over that time. The dividend has been growing rapidly, however with such a short payment history we can't know for sure if payment can continue to grow over the long term, so caution may be warranted.

The Dividend Has Growth Potential

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. We are encouraged to see that BayCom has grown earnings per share at 9.8% per year over the past five years. BayCom definitely has the potential to grow its dividend in the future with earnings on an uptrend and a low payout ratio.

BayCom 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. Distributions are quite easily covered by earnings, which are also being converted to cash flows. All in all, this checks a lot of the boxes we look for when choosing an income stock.

Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. Companies that are growing earnings tend to be the best dividend stocks over the long term. See what the 3 analysts we track are forecasting for BayCom for free with public analyst estimates for the company. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.

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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.