Citizens & Northern Co. Declares Dividend Increase

Citizens & Northern Co. (NASDAQ:CZNC) announced on January 27th that it will be issuing a dividend of $0.28 per share. This will be paid to shareholders of record on February 4th, with the distribution date set for February 14th. The declared dividend reflects a yield of 5.41%, which is an increase from last year's dividend of $0.27. The ex-dividend date will be February 3rd.

Citizens & Northern has shown a consistent increase in its dividend payouts, with an average annual growth of 0.3% over the last three years. The company maintains a payout ratio of 55.4%, indicating that its dividends are comfortably covered by its earnings. Analysts project that Citizens & Northern will earn $1.80 per share in the upcoming year. Based on these expectations, the company should be able to sustain its $1.12 annual dividend, resulting in a future payout ratio of 62.2%.

Performance of Citizens & Northern Stock

On Monday, shares of NASDAQ:CZNC opened at $20.71. Over the past year, the stock has seen a low of $16.50 and a high of $22.20. Its current market capitalization stands at approximately $319.14 million. The stock exhibits a P/E ratio of 14.38 and has a beta of 0.48, showcasing its relatively stable performance compared to the overall market. Citizens & Northern has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77 and both a quick ratio and current ratio of 0.95, reflecting its liquidity position.

The company recently revealed its quarterly earnings on January 23rd, reporting an EPS of $0.53, which surpassed analysts' expectations of $0.45 by $0.08. The return on equity recorded was 8.28%, with a net margin of 14.47%. Analysts are forecasting an earnings per share of 1.61 for the current financial year.

Analyst Recommendations

In related news, Piper Sandler recently upgraded the rating of Citizens & Northern shares to "hold" as of December 2nd, indicating a more positive outlook.

About Citizens & Northern

Citizens & Northern Corp. is a holding company that operates in the community banking sector. It provides a variety of banking and mortgage services targeted at individual and corporate clients across North Central Pennsylvania and Southern New York State. Their services include mortgage loans, commercial loans, and consumer loans, making it a comprehensive provider in its market.

As investors weigh their options, it is crucial to analyze not just the current dividend announcement but also the overall financial health and market position of Citizens & Northern. Investors considering positioning in this stock should evaluate all aspects of the company's performance and future growth prospects.

Dividend, Earnings, Growth