Yahoo Finance Lockheed Martin's (NYSE:LMT) Dividend Will Be Increased To $3.00
Lockheed Martin Corporation's (NYSE:LMT) dividend will be increasing from last year's payment of the same period to $3.00 on 30th of December. This will take the annual payment to 2.5% of the stock price, which is above what most companies in the industry pay.
See our latest analysis for Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Prior to this announcement, Lockheed Martin'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.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 30.5% over the next year. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 42%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.
Lockheed Martin Has A Solid Track Record
Even over a long history of paying dividends, the company's distributions have been remarkably stable. The annual payment during the last 10 years was $4.00 in 2012, and the most recent fiscal year payment was $12.00. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 12% a year over that time. So, dividends have been growing pretty quickly, and even more impressively, they haven't experienced any notable falls during this period.
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. It's encouraging to see that Lockheed Martin has been growing its earnings per share at 12% a year over the past five years. The company is paying a reasonable amount of earnings to shareholders, and is growing earnings at a decent rate so we think it could be a decent dividend stock.
Lockheed Martin Looks Like A Great Dividend Stock
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. Taking this all into consideration, this looks like it could be a good dividend opportunity.
Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for Lockheed Martin that you should be aware of before investing. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try our collection of strong dividend payers.
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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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