Essent Group, a mortgage insurance and reinsurance holding company, is highlighted as an attractive dividend stock. The company pays a quarterly dividend of $0.35 per share, yielding 2.27%, which exceeds the Insurance - Property and Casualty industry average of 0.82% and the S&P 500's 1.42%. Its annualized dividend of $1.40 per share has grown 12.9% from last year, with an average annual increase of 16.21% over the past five years. The payout ratio stands at 20% of trailing twelve-month earnings, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate projects fiscal 2026 earnings of $7.25 per share, a 5.07% year-over-year increase. The stock carries a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).
Essent Group LtdArticle highlights strong dividend growth, low payout ratio, and positive earnings outlook, making the stock attractive to income investors.