Yahoo Finance Weir Group (LON:WEIR) Is Increasing Its Dividend To £0.135
The Weir Group PLC (LON:WEIR) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 4th of November to £0.135. This takes the annual payment to 1.8% of the current stock price, which unfortunately is below what the industry is paying.
Check out our latest analysis for Weir Group
Weir Group's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
Even a low dividend yield can be attractive if it is sustained for years on end. Based on the last payment, Weir Group was paying only paying out a fraction of earnings, but the payment was a massive 144% of cash flows. The business might be trying to strike a balance between returning cash to shareholders and reinvesting back into the business, but this high of a payout ratio could definitely force the dividend to be cut if the company runs into a bit of a tough spot.
Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 53.9%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 21%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.
Dividend Volatility
The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. The annual payment during the last 10 years was £0.33 in 2012, and the most recent fiscal year payment was £0.27. Doing the maths, this is a decline of about 2.0% per year. A company that decreases its dividend over time generally isn't what we are looking for.
The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. We are encouraged to see that Weir Group has grown earnings per share at 12% per year over the past five years. Growth in EPS bodes well for the dividend, as does the low payout ratio that the company is currently reporting.
Our Thoughts On Weir Group's Dividend
Overall, this is probably not a great income stock, even though the dividend is being raised at the moment. With cash flows lacking, it is difficult to see how the company can sustain a dividend payment. This company is not in the top tier of income providing stocks.
Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. As an example, we've identified 1 warning sign for Weir Group that you should be aware of before investing. Is Weir Group 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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