Yahoo Finance Bellway's (LON:BWY) Shareholders Will Receive A Bigger Dividend Than Last Year
Bellway p.l.c. (LON:BWY) will increase its dividend on the 1st of July to UK£0.45. This takes the annual payment to 5.2% of the current stock price, which unfortunately is below what the industry is paying.
Check out our latest analysis for Bellway
Bellway's Earnings Easily Cover the Distributions
It would be nice for the yield to be higher, but we should also check if higher levels of dividend payment would be sustainable. Based on the last payment, Bellway was paying only paying out a fraction of earnings, but the payment was a massive 1,545% of cash flows. While the business may be attempting to set a balanced dividend policy, a cash payout ratio this high might expose the dividend to being cut if the business ran into some challenges.
Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 14.0%. If the dividend continues on this path, the payout ratio could be 34% by next year, which we think can be pretty sustainable going forward.
Dividend Volatility
The company has a long dividend track record, but it doesn't look great with cuts in the past. The first annual payment during the last 10 years was UK£0.13 in 2012, and the most recent fiscal year payment was UK£1.18. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 25% 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's Growth Prospects Are Limited
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. Although it's important to note that Bellway's earnings per share has basically not grown from where it was five years ago, which could erode the purchasing power of the dividend over time.
The Dividend Could Prove To Be Unreliable
Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think Bellway will make a great income stock. With cash flows lacking, it is difficult to see how the company can sustain a dividend payment. We don't think Bellway is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.
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 1 warning sign for Bellway 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.
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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.
