In This Article:
Incitec Pivot Limited's (ASX:IPL) dividend is being reduced from last year's payment covering the same period to A$0.05 on the 19th of December. This means the annual payment is 5.0% of the current stock price, which is above the average for the industry.
See our latest analysis for Incitec Pivot
Incitec Pivot's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Based on the last payment, the company wasn't making enough to cover what it was paying to shareholders. This situation certainly isn't ideal, and could place significant strain on the balance sheet if it continues.
Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 60.2%. Under the assumption that the dividend will continue along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 69% which would be quite comfortable going to take the dividend forward.
Dividend Volatility
The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. Since 2013, the dividend has gone from A$0.092 total annually to A$0.15. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 5.0% per annum over that time. We have seen cuts in the past, so while the growth looks promising we would be a little bit cautious about its track record.
Incitec Pivot May Find It Hard To Grow The Dividend
Growing earnings per share could be a mitigating factor when considering the past fluctuations in the dividend. Earnings have grown at around 2.6% a year for the past five years, which isn't massive but still better than seeing them shrink. The company is paying out a lot of its profits, even though it is growing those profits pretty slowly. As they say in finance, 'past performance is not indicative of future performance', but we are not confident a company with limited earnings growth and a high payout ratio will be a star dividend-payer over the next decade.
The Dividend Could Prove To Be Unreliable
Overall, the dividend looks like it may have been a bit high, which explains why it has now been cut. The payments are bit high to be considered sustainable, and the track record isn't the best. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.
Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. Just as an example, we've come across 2 warning signs for Incitec Pivot you should be aware of, and 1 of them shouldn't be ignored. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.