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Founded in 1953 and based in Tacoma, Washington, Columbia Banking System, Inc. (COLB) operates as a Bank holding company whose wholly-owned banking subsidiary is Columbia State Bank that provides a full range of banking services throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California

The company’s subsidiary, Columbia Trust Company, is an Oregon trust company that provides agency, fiduciary, and other related trust services with offices in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

It serves its products to corporate, institutional, small business, and individual customers. 

Three key data points gauge Columbia Banking or any dividend-paying entity, namely:

(1) Price

(2) Dividends

(3) Returns

Those keys also show if any company has made, is making, and will make money.

COLB Price

Columbia Banking’s share price rose about 19.4% over the past year from $19.28 to $23.02 as of Monday’s closing price.

COLB Dividends

Columbia Banking System has paid variable quarterly dividends since May 2003. The current forward-looking annual dividend of $1.44 yields 6.26% per Monday’s $23.02  closing price.

COLB Returns

Putting it all together, a $5.92 estimated gross gain per share shows up when adding AllianceBernstein’s annual $1.44 dividend to an estimated $4.48 analyst estimated annual price gain, totaling that $5.92 gross gain.

A little under $1000 invested at the recent $23.02 price would buy 43 shares, which multiply the $5.92 gross gain to $254.56.

Furthermore, over 25% of that $255 gain comes from the $62.60 in dividends generated from a $1,000 investment, and the $62.60 amounts to near 2.75 times the recent $23.02 single-share price.

(A dividend dogcatcher rule is to never buy a stock that pays an annual dividend from $1000 invested that is lower than the cost of a single share.)

Therefore, you may choose to pounce on Columbia Banking and its 6.25% dividend yield along with its 22-year dividend record.

The exact track of COLB's future prices and dividends will be entirely determined by market action and company finances.

Remember, the best way to track stock performance and dividend payments is through direct ownership of company shares.

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