Yahoo Finance Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) Has Affirmed Its Dividend Of $0.29
Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX) will pay a dividend of $0.29 on the 3rd of October. This payment means that the dividend yield will be 1.8%, which is around the industry average.
See our latest analysis for Baxter International
Baxter International's Earnings Easily Cover the Distributions
Unless the payments are sustainable, the dividend yield doesn't mean too much. The last dividend was quite easily covered by Baxter International's earnings. This means that a large portion of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 103.2% over the next year. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 28% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.
Dividend Volatility
The company's dividend history has been marked by instability, with at least one cut in the last 10 years. The annual payment during the last 10 years was $1.24 in 2012, and the most recent fiscal year payment was $1.16. The dividend has shrunk at a rate of less than 1% a year over this period. Declining dividends isn't generally what we look for as they can indicate that the company is running into some challenges.
Dividend Growth May Be Hard To Come By
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. Baxter International has seen earnings per share falling at 9.2% per year over the last five years. Declining earnings will inevitably lead to the company paying a lower dividend in line with lower profits. It's not all bad news though, as the earnings are predicted to rise over the next 12 months - we would just be a bit cautious until this can turn into a longer term trend.
In Summary
Overall, we don't think this company makes a great dividend stock, even though the dividend wasn't cut this year. The payments haven't been particularly stable and we don't see huge growth potential, but with the dividend well covered by cash flows it could prove to be reliable over the short term. 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. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. Just as an example, we've come across 3 warning signs for Baxter International you should be aware of, and 1 of them makes us a bit uncomfortable. Is Baxter International 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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