Key updates dividend investors need to know

Article Excerpt

J.P. MORGAN CHASE & CO. $93 is still a buy. The bank (New York symbol JPM; Conservative-Growth Payer Portfolio, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 3.1 billion; Market cap: $288.3 billion; Dividend yield: 3.9%; Divd. Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.jpmorganchase.com) last raised its quarterly dividend with the October 2019 payment by an impressive 12.5%. Investors now receive $0.90 a share. The annual rate of $3.60 yields 3.9%. In response to the economic uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 lockdowns, and the resulting jump in loan-loss provisions, the U.S. Federal Reserve directed banks to stop share buybacks. They must also delay any planned dividend increases until the end of September. The Fed is now conducting a second round of “stress tests” on all U.S..banks. These tests measure how well a bank copes with rising unemployment and falling gross domestic product. Although Morgan passed the first stress tests, it’s likely the Fed will order all U.S. banks to delay any planned dividend increases until 2021. J.P. Morgan is still a buy. TEXAS INSTRUMENTS…