Yahoo Finance AIXTRON's (ETR:AIXA) Dividend Will Be Increased To €0.40
AIXTRON SE (ETR:AIXA) will increase its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 21st of May to €0.40. This will take the annual payment to 1.9% of the stock price, which is above what most companies in the industry pay.
While the dividend yield is important for income investors, it is also important to consider any large share price moves, as this will generally outweigh any gains from distributions. AIXTRON's stock price has reduced by 37% in the last 3 months, which is not ideal for investors and can explain a sharp increase in the dividend yield.
See our latest analysis for AIXTRON
AIXTRON's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
A big dividend yield for a few years doesn't mean much if it can't be sustained. Prior to this announcement, AIXTRON's earnings easily covered the dividend, but free cash flows were negative. In general, we consider cash flow to be more important than earnings, so we would be cautious about relying on the sustainability of this dividend.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 42.4% over the next year. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 22%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.
AIXTRON Is Still Building Its Track Record
The company has maintained a consistent dividend for a few years now, but we would like to see a longer track record before relying on it. The annual payment during the last 3 years was €0.11 in 2021, and the most recent fiscal year payment was €0.40. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 54% a year over that time. The dividend has been growing rapidly, however with such a short payment history we can't know for sure if payment can continue to grow over the long term, so caution may be warranted.
The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow
Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. AIXTRON has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 26% per annum. Rapid earnings growth and a low payout ratio suggest this company has been effectively reinvesting in its business. Should that continue, this company could have a bright future.
Our Thoughts On AIXTRON's Dividend
Overall, this is probably not a great income stock, even though the dividend is being raised at the moment. While AIXTRON is earning enough to cover the payments, the cash flows are lacking. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.
Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. To that end, AIXTRON has 3 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit unpleasant) we think you should know about. Is AIXTRON not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.
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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.
