‘Stress test’ supports higher dividends

Article Excerpt

These four lenders, including American Express (see box), have passed the Federal Reserve’s annual “stress test.” It measures how financial firms would cope with a jump in unemployment, falling stock prices and other unfavourable developments. That approval gives them more room to raise their dividends and buy back shares. WELLS FARGO & CO. $49 (New York symbol WFC; Conservative Growth and Income Portfolios, Finance sector; Shares outstanding: 5.1 billion; Market cap: $249.9 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 2.9; Dividend yield: 3.1%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.wellsfargo.com) recently increased its quarterly dividend by 1.3%, to $0.38 a share from $0.375. The new annual rate of $1.52 yields 3.1%. As well, the bank will likely earmark more funds for share buybacks than the $8.35 billion it spent in the year ended June 30, 2016. Wells Fargo should earn $4.07 a share this year, and the stock trades at a low 12.0 times that forecast. Wells Fargo is a buy. J.P. MORGAN CHASE & CO. $64…