First Bancorp's (NASDAQ:FBNC) investors are due to receive a payment of $0.22 per share on 25th of April. This payment means the dividend yield will be 2.2%, which is below the average for the industry.

Check out our latest analysis for First Bancorp

First Bancorp's Earnings Will Easily Cover The Distributions

While yield is important, another factor to consider about a company's dividend is whether the current payout levels are feasible.

First Bancorp has a long history of paying out dividends, with its current track record at a minimum of 10 years. Taking data from its last earnings report, calculating for the company's payout ratio shows 48%, which means that First Bancorp would be able to pay its last dividend without pressure on the balance sheet.

Looking forward, EPS is forecast to rise by 116.0% over the next 3 years. The future payout ratio could be 27% over that time period, according to analyst estimates, which is a good look for the future of the dividend.

First Bancorp Has A Solid Track Record

The company has been paying a dividend for a long time, and it has been quite stable which gives us confidence in the future dividend potential. Since 2015, the dividend has gone from $0.32 total annually to $0.88. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 11% a year over that time. We can see that payments have shown some very nice upward momentum without faltering, which provides some reassurance that future payments will also be reliable.

Dividend Growth Is Doubtful

Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. Let's not jump to conclusions as things might not be as good as they appear on the surface. Over the past five years, it looks as though First Bancorp's EPS has declined at around 10.0% a year. If earnings continue declining, the company may have to make the difficult choice of reducing the dividend or even stopping it completely - the opposite of dividend growth. However, the next year is actually looking up, with earnings set to rise. We would just wait until it becomes a pattern before getting too excited.

Our Thoughts On First Bancorp's Dividend

Overall, a consistent dividend is a good thing, and we think that First Bancorp has the ability to continue this into the future. While the payments look sustainable for now, earnings have been shrinking so the dividend could come under pressure in the future. This looks like it could be a good dividend stock going forward, but we would note that the payout ratio has been at higher levels in the past so it could happen again.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. Without at least some growth in earnings per share over time, the dividend will eventually come under pressure either from competition or inflation. See if the 3 analysts are forecasting a turnaround in our free collection of analyst estimates here. 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.