Advertisement
UK markets closed
  • FTSE 100

    8,213.49
    +41.34 (+0.51%)
     
  • FTSE 250

    20,164.54
    +112.21 (+0.56%)
     
  • AIM

    771.93
    +3.82 (+0.50%)
     
  • GBP/EUR

    1.1645
    -0.0038 (-0.32%)
     
  • GBP/USD

    1.2548
    +0.0015 (+0.12%)
     
  • Bitcoin GBP

    49,077.98
    +1,888.46 (+4.00%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    1,325.85
    +48.87 (+3.83%)
     
  • S&P 500

    5,119.22
    +55.02 (+1.09%)
     
  • DOW

    38,651.80
    +426.14 (+1.11%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    78.55
    -0.40 (-0.51%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,307.00
    -2.60 (-0.11%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    38,236.07
    -37.98 (-0.10%)
     
  • HANG SENG

    18,475.92
    +268.79 (+1.48%)
     
  • DAX

    18,001.60
    +105.10 (+0.59%)
     
  • CAC 40

    7,957.57
    +42.92 (+0.54%)
     

Knights Group Holdings (LON:KGH) Will Pay A Dividend Of £0.0161

Knights Group Holdings plc (LON:KGH) will pay a dividend of £0.0161 on the 15th of March. This will take the annual payment to 3.1% 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. Investors will be pleased to see that Knights Group Holdings' stock price has increased by 52% in the last 3 months, which is good for shareholders and can also explain a decrease in the dividend yield.

Check out our latest analysis for Knights Group Holdings

Knights Group Holdings' Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings

While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. However, prior to this announcement, Knights Group Holdings' dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. This means that most of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.

ADVERTISEMENT

The next year is set to see EPS grow by 102.3%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 24%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

historic-dividend
historic-dividend

Knights Group Holdings' Dividend Has Lacked Consistency

It's comforting to see that Knights Group Holdings has been paying a dividend for a number of years now, however it has been cut at least once in that time. Due to this, we are a little bit cautious about the dividend consistency over a full economic cycle. The dividend has gone from an annual total of £0.012 in 2019 to the most recent total annual payment of £0.0411. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 28% over that duration. Knights Group Holdings has grown distributions at a rapid rate despite cutting the dividend at least once in the past. Companies that cut once often cut again, so we would be cautious about buying this stock solely for the dividend income.

The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow

Given that the dividend has been cut in the past, we need to check if earnings are growing and if that might lead to stronger dividends in the future. Knights Group Holdings has impressed us by growing EPS at 18% per year over the past five years. With a decent amount of growth and a low payout ratio, we think this bodes well for Knights Group Holdings' prospects of growing its dividend payments in the future.

We Really Like Knights Group Holdings' Dividend

In summary, it is always positive to see the dividend being increased, and we are particularly pleased with its overall sustainability. 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.

It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. For instance, we've picked out 2 warning signs for Knights Group Holdings that investors should take into consideration. 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.