Yahoo Finance Diageo plc (LON:DGE) Will Pay A 1.2% Dividend In 2 Days
Readers hoping to buy Diageo plc (LON:DGE) for its dividend will need to make their move shortly, as the stock is about to trade ex-dividend. Investors can purchase shares before the 8th of August in order to be eligible for this dividend, which will be paid on the 3rd of October.
Diageo's upcoming dividend is UK£0.42 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of UK£0.69 per share to shareholders. Last year's total dividend payments show that Diageo has a trailing yield of 2.0% on the current share price of £34.43. If you buy this business for its dividend, you should have an idea of whether Diageo's dividend is reliable and sustainable. As a result, readers should always check whether Diageo has been able to grow its dividends, or if the dividend might be cut.
View our latest analysis for Diageo
Dividends are typically paid from company earnings. If a company pays more in dividends than it earned in profit, then the dividend could be unsustainable. Diageo paid out more than half (52%) of its earnings last year, which is a regular payout ratio for most companies. Yet cash flows are even more important than profits for assessing a dividend, so we need to see if the company generated enough cash to pay its distribution. It paid out more than half (63%) of its free cash flow in the past year, which is within an average range for most companies.
It's positive to see that Diageo's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut.
Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.
Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?
Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. If earnings decline and the company is forced to cut its dividend, investors could watch the value of their investment go up in smoke. This is why it's a relief to see Diageo earnings per share are up 7.0% per annum over the last five years. Decent historical earnings per share growth suggests Diageo has been effectively growing value for shareholders. However, it's now paying out more than half its earnings as dividends. Therefore it's unlikely that the company will be able to reinvest heavily in its business, which could presage slower growth in the future.
Another key way to measure a company's dividend prospects is by measuring its historical rate of dividend growth. In the past 10 years, Diageo has increased its dividend at approximately 4.9% a year on average. We're glad to see dividends rising alongside earnings over a number of years, which may be a sign the company intends to share the growth with shareholders.
The Bottom Line
Is Diageo an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? Earnings per share growth has been unremarkable, and while the company is paying out a majority of its earnings and cash flow in the form of dividends, the dividend payments don't appear excessive. In summary, while it has some positive characteristics, we're not inclined to race out and buy Diageo today.
Wondering what the future holds for Diageo? See what the 19 analysts we track are forecasting, with this visualisation of its historical and future estimated earnings and cash flow
A common investment mistake is buying the first interesting stock you see. Here you can find a list of promising dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.
We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
