Yahoo Finance J. M. Smucker (NYSE:SJM) Is Increasing Its Dividend To $1.02
The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 1st of September to $1.02. This makes the dividend yield 3.0%, which is above the industry average.
See our latest analysis for J. M. Smucker
J. M. Smucker's Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions
We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable. Prior to this announcement, J. M. Smucker's dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. This indicates that a lot of the earnings are being reinvested into the business, with the aim of fueling growth.
Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 45.6%. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 49% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.
J. M. Smucker Has A Solid Track Record
The company has been paying a dividend for a long time, and it has been quite stable which gives us confidence in the future dividend potential. The annual payment during the last 10 years was $1.92 in 2012, and the most recent fiscal year payment was $4.08. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 7.8% over that duration. The dividend has been growing very nicely for a number of years, and has given its shareholders some nice income in their portfolios.
The Dividend's Growth Prospects Are Limited
Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. Earnings have grown at around 3.0% a year for the past five years, which isn't massive but still better than seeing them shrink. The company has been growing at a pretty soft 3.0% per annum, and is paying out quite a lot of its earnings to shareholders. While this isn't necessarily a negative, it definitely signals that dividend growth could be constrained in the future unless earnings start to pick up again.
We Really Like J. M. Smucker's Dividend
Overall, a dividend increase is always good, and we think that J. M. Smucker is a strong income stock thanks to its track record and growing earnings. Earnings are easily covering distributions, and the company is generating plenty of cash. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock.
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. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for J. M. Smucker that you should be aware of before investing. Is J. M. Smucker 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.
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