What is the implied dividend yield based on the current share price, and how does it compare to the broader banking sector?
1. How to calculate the implied dividend yield
The dividend that the board just announced is a quarterly cash dividend ofâŻ$0.10 per common share.
To turn that into an annualized figure you multiply by four:
[
\text{Annual dividend (common)} = 0.10 \times 4 = \$0.40 \;\text{per share}
]
The dividend yield is then:
[
\text{Yield (\%)} = \frac{\text{Annual dividend}}{\text{Current share price}} \times 100
]
Because the news release does not give the current market price of Banc of California (ticker BANC), we canât produce a single, definitive number. What we can do is illustrate the computation with a few realistic price points and then place those yields in the context of the broader U.S. banking sector.
2. Example calculations (illustrative only)
Hypothetical share price | Annual dividend ($0.40) | Implied yield |
---|---|---|
$20.00 | $0.40 | 2.0âŻ% |
$25.00 | $0.40 | 1.6âŻ% |
$30.00 | $0.40 | 1.33âŻ% |
$35.00 | $0.40 | 1.14âŻ% |
$40.00 | $0.40 | 1.0âŻ% |
If you have the exact closing price as of the dividend announcement (e.g., from Bloomberg, Reuters, or a brokerage platform), simply plug that number into the formula above to get the precise yield.
3. How does this compare with the broader banking sector?
Metric | Typical range (U.S. regional & national banks, 2024â2025) |
---|---|
Average commonâstock dividend yield | ~2.0âŻ% â 3.0âŻ% (higher for dividendâheavy regional banks such as BBVA USA, Regions, and First Horizon; lower for growthâoriented large banks like JPMorgan, Bank of America) |
Median commonâstock dividend yield | â2.2âŻ% |
Preferredâstock yield (for comparable tierâ1 preferreds) | ~5âŻ% â 7âŻ% (because many banks issue highâcoupon perpetual preferreds to boost capital) |
Interpretation
Banc of Californiaâs implied yield (using the illustrative prices) | Comparison |
---|---|
â1.3âŻ% â 2.0âŻ% (depending on where the stock actually trades) | At the lowâend or below the sector average. The yield would be considered modest relative to many regional peers that sit in the 2â3âŻ% range. |
Preferredâstock dividend (SeriesâŻF) isâŻ$0.4845 per quarter â $1.938 annually. If the preferred shares trade around $25â$27 (a typical range for many bank perpetual preferreds), the implied preferredâshare yield would be â7â8âŻ%, comfortably above the commonâstock yield and in line with, or slightly higher than, the broader preferredâstock market for banks. | The preferredâshare yield is a more attractive income proposition than the commonâshare yield, reflecting the higher coupon the bank has set on that capital instrument. |
Key takeâaways
- Current commonâstock yield is likely modest (near 1â2âŻ%) given the $0.40 annual payout and Banc of Californiaâs recent trading range (historically between $20â$35 per share).
- That yield trails the average dividend yield of the U.S. banking sector, which hovers around 2â3âŻ% for common equity.
- The newly declared preferred dividend is relatively rich (â7â8âŻ% if the preferred shares are priced near par), putting it on par with or a touch above the typical preferredâstock yields in the banking industry.
- Investors seeking income may find the preferred series more appealing, while those focused on commonâstock upside should view the modest yield as a secondary consideration to the bankâs earnings growth, capital position, and valuation.
4. What you should do next
- Obtain the exact current price of BANC common stock (e.g., from a realâtime market data source).
- Plug that price into the formula ( \text{Yield} = \frac{0.40}{\text{Price}} \times 100 ) to get the precise yield.
- Compare that number to a sectorâwide dividendâyield screen (e.g., S&PâŻ500 Banking Index constituents) to see where Banc of California sits relative to peers on a dayâbyâday basis.
- If income is a primary goal, evaluate the SeriesâŻF perpetual preferred alongside its pricing, credit rating, and call features to gauge the riskâadjusted return versus other bank preferreds.
Bottom line: Based on the announced $0.10 quarterly dividend, Banc of Californiaâs implied commonâstock yield is likely in the lowâsingleâdigit percent range, which is below the average dividend yield of the broader banking sector. The preferredâstock dividend, however, offers a highâsingleâdigit yield that is more competitive within the sectorâs preferredâshare market.