The board of LINKBANCORP, Inc. (NASDAQ:LNKB) has announced that it will pay a dividend of $0.075 per share on the 15th of March. The dividend yield will be 4.4% based on this payment which is still above the industry average.

View our latest analysis for LINKBANCORP

LINKBANCORP's Earnings Will Easily Cover The Distributions

We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable.

Having paid out dividends for only 2 years, LINKBANCORP does not have much of a history being a dividend paying company. While LINKBANCORP's efforts to pay out a dividend can be applauded, its latest earnings report actually shows that the company didn't have enough earnings in the year to cover its dividends. This is an alarming sign for the sustainability of its dividends, as it may mean that LINKBANCORP is pulling cash from elsewhere to keep its shareholders happy.

Analysts expect a massive rise in earnings per share in the next 3 years. In addtion, they also estimate the future payout ratio could reach 35% in the same time period, which we would be comfortable to see continuing.

LINKBANCORP Doesn't Have A Long Payment History

The dividend has been pretty stable looking back, but the company hasn't been paying one for very long. This makes it tough to judge how it would fare through a full economic cycle. There hasn't been much of a change in the dividend over the last 2 years. We like that the dividend hasn't been shrinking. However we're conscious that the company hasn't got an overly long track record of dividend payments yet, which makes us wary of relying on its dividend income.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. Unfortunately things aren't as good as they seem. LINKBANCORP's earnings per share has shrunk at 109% a year over the past five years. Dividend payments are likely to come under some pressure unless EPS can pull out of the nosedive it is in. 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.

An additional note is that the company has been raising capital by issuing stock equal to 150% of shares outstanding in the last 12 months. Trying to grow the dividend when issuing new shares reminds us of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus - perpetually pushing a boulder uphill. Companies that consistently issue new shares are often suboptimal from a dividend perspective.