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Ashmore Group (LON:ASHM) Will Pay A Dividend Of £0.121

Ashmore Group PLC's (LON:ASHM) investors are due to receive a payment of £0.121 per share on 9th of December. Based on this payment, the dividend yield on the company's stock will be 7.5%, which is an attractive boost to shareholder returns.

See our latest analysis for Ashmore Group

Ashmore Group's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage

We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable. Prior to this announcement, the company was paying out 126% of what it was earning, however the dividend was quite comfortably covered by free cash flows at a cash payout ratio of only 71%. Healthy cash flows are always a positive sign, especially when they quite easily cover the dividend.

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Earnings per share is forecast to rise by 44.2% over the next year. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could reach 87%, which is on the higher side, but certainly still feasible.

historic-dividend
historic-dividend

Ashmore Group Has A Solid Track Record

The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. The dividend has gone from an annual total of £0.145 in 2012 to the most recent total annual payment of £0.169. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 1.5% over that duration. Slow and steady dividend growth might not sound that exciting, but dividends have been stable for ten years, which we think makes this a fairly attractive offer.

Dividend Growth Potential Is Shaky

Investors could be attracted to the stock based on the quality of its payment history. However, things aren't all that rosy. Over the past five years, it looks as though Ashmore Group's EPS has declined at around 12% a year. Dividend payments are likely to come under some pressure unless EPS can pull out of the nosedive it is in. It's not all bad news though, as the earnings are predicted to rise over the next 12 months - we would just be a bit cautious until this becomes a long term trend.

Our Thoughts On Ashmore Group's Dividend

In summary, while it's good to see that the dividend hasn't been cut, we are a bit cautious about Ashmore Group's payments, as there could be some issues with sustaining them into the future. The company has been bring in plenty of cash to cover the dividend, but we don't necessarily think that makes it a great dividend stock. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 3 warning signs for Ashmore Group that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high yield dividend stocks.

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.

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