FNCB Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:FNCB) will increase its dividend on the 15th of September to $0.09, which is 20% higher than last year's payment from the same period of $0.075. This will take the dividend yield to an attractive 3.8%, providing a nice boost to shareholder returns.

See our latest analysis for FNCB Bancorp

FNCB Bancorp's Payment Expected To Have Solid Earnings Coverage

While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable.

FNCB Bancorp has established itself as a dividend paying company, given its 7-year history of distributing earnings to shareholders. Taking data from its last earnings report, calculating for the company's payout ratio of 29%shows that FNCB Bancorp would be able to pay its last dividend without pressure on the balance sheet.

Over the next year, EPS could expand by 17.5% if recent trends continue. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the future payout ratio will be 32%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

FNCB Bancorp Is Still Building Its Track Record

FNCB Bancorp's dividend has been pretty stable for a little while now, but we will continue to be cautious until it has been demonstrated for a few more years. Since 2015, the dividend has gone from $0.08 total annually to $0.30. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 21% a year over that time. FNCB Bancorp has been growing its dividend quite rapidly, which is exciting. However, the short payment history makes us question whether this performance will persist across a full market cycle.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. FNCB Bancorp has impressed us by growing EPS at 17% per year over the past five years. A low payout ratio and decent growth suggests that the company is reinvesting well, and it also has plenty of room to increase the dividend over time.

FNCB Bancorp Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock

Overall, a dividend increase is always good, and we think that FNCB Bancorp is a strong income stock thanks to its track record and growing earnings. Earnings are easily covering distributions, and the company is generating plenty of cash. All in all, this checks a lot of the boxes we look for when choosing an income stock.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for FNCB Bancorp that you should be aware of before investing. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.