Hancock Whitney Rewards Shareholders With a 12.5% Dividend Hike

Core Viewpoint - Hancock Whitney Corp. (HWC) has increased its quarterly cash dividend by 12.5% to 45 cents per share, reflecting a commitment to enhancing shareholder value through capital distribution activities [1]. Dividend Information - The new dividend will be paid on March 17, 2025, to shareholders of record as of March 5, 2025 [1]. - Prior to this increase, HWC raised its dividend by 33.3% to 40 cents per share in April 2024 [1]. - HWC has raised its dividend three times in the past five years, with an average growth rate of 7.5% [1]. - The current dividend payout ratio stands at 30% [1]. - Based on a closing price of $59.74 as of January 31, the forward dividend yield is 3$849.6 million, total loans of $23.3 billion, and total deposits of$29.5 billion [5]. - The common equity Tier-1 capital ratio was 14.14%, and the total capital ratio was 15.93%, both exceeding regulatory requirements [5]. - Given its strong capital and liquidity positions, HWC is expected to maintain its capital distribution activities and continue enhancing shareholder value [6]. Stock Performance - HWC shares have increased by 41.3% over the past year, outperforming the industry growth of 32% [6]. - HWC currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) [7].