Sturm Ruger's (NYSE:RGR) Shareholders Will Receive A Bigger Dividend Than Last Year

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE:RGR) will increase its dividend on the 30th of November to US$0.79. This will take the annual payment to 4.6% of the stock price, which is above what most companies in the industry pay.

See our latest analysis for Sturm Ruger

Sturm Ruger'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. However, Sturm Ruger's earnings easily cover the dividend. This means that most of what the business earns is being used to help it grow.

If the trend of the last few years continues, EPS will grow by 13.9% over the next 12 months. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 38%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.

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Dividend Volatility

While the company has been paying a dividend for a long time, it has cut the dividend at least once in the last 10 years. The dividend has gone from US$0.32 in 2011 to the most recent annual payment of US$4.00. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 29% a year over that time. Dividends have grown rapidly over this time, but with cuts in the past we are not certain that this stock will be a reliable source of income in the future.

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. Sturm Ruger has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 14% per annum. Growth in EPS bodes well for the dividend, as does the low payout ratio that the company is currently reporting.

Sturm Ruger 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. Distributions are quite easily covered by earnings, which are also being converted to cash flows. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. For example, we've identified 3 warning signs for Sturm Ruger (1 is a bit concerning!) that you should be aware of before investing. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high performing dividend stock.

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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