Yahoo Finance Compass Group's (LON:CPG) Upcoming Dividend Will Be Larger Than Last Year's
Compass Group PLC (LON:CPG) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend from last year's comparable payment on the 2nd of March to £0.221. Based on this payment, the dividend yield for the company will be 1.7%, which is fairly typical for the industry.
View our latest analysis for Compass Group
Compass Group's Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
Unless the payments are sustainable, the dividend yield doesn't mean too much. The last dividend was quite easily covered by Compass Group's earnings. This indicates that a lot of the earnings are being reinvested into the business, with the aim of fueling growth.
The next year is set to see EPS grow by 65.5%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 28%, 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. Since 2012, the annual payment back then was £0.221, compared to the most recent full-year payment of £0.315. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 3.6% a year over that time. We're glad to see the dividend has risen, but with a limited rate of growth and fluctuations in the payments the total shareholder return may be limited.
Compass Group May Find It Hard To Grow The Dividend
With a relatively unstable dividend, it's even more important to see if earnings per share is growing. Over the past five years, it looks as though Compass Group's EPS has declined at around 2.3% a year. If the company is making less over time, it naturally follows that it will also have to pay out less in dividends. Earnings are predicted to grow over the next year, but we would remain cautious until a track record of earnings growth is established.
Our Thoughts On Compass Group's Dividend
Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think Compass Group will make a great income stock. The company is generating plenty of cash, which could maintain the dividend for a while, but the track record hasn't been great. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock.
Market movements attest to how highly valued a consistent dividend policy is compared to one which is more unpredictable. Still, investors need to consider a host of other factors, apart from dividend payments, when analysing a company. Without at least some growth in earnings per share over time, the dividend will eventually come under pressure either from competition or inflation. See if the 20 analysts are forecasting a turnaround in our free collection of analyst estimates here. 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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