Yahoo Finance Service Corporation International (NYSE:SCI) Is Increasing Its Dividend To US$0.23
The board of Service Corporation International (NYSE:SCI) has announced that it will be increasing its dividend on the 31st of December to US$0.23. The announced payment will take the dividend yield to 1.3%, which is in line with the average for the industry.
Check out our latest analysis for Service Corporation International
Service Corporation International's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings
Solid dividend yields are great, but they only really help us if the payment is sustainable. However, Service Corporation International's earnings easily cover the dividend. This means that most of its earnings are being retained to grow the business.
EPS is set to fall by 32.0% over the next 12 months. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could be 30%, which we consider to be quite comfortable, with most of the company's earnings left over to grow the business in the future.
Service Corporation International Has A Solid Track Record
The company has an extended history of paying stable dividends. Since 2011, the first annual payment was US$0.20, compared to the most recent full-year payment of US$0.92. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 16% per annum over that time. We can see that payments have shown some very nice upward momentum without faltering, which provides some reassurance that future payments will also be reliable.
The Dividend Looks Likely To Grow
Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. Service Corporation International has seen EPS rising for the last five years, at 39% per annum. A low payout ratio gives the company a lot of flexibility, and growing earnings also make it very easy for it to grow the dividend.
Service Corporation International 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. The company is generating plenty of cash, and the earnings also quite easily cover the distributions. However, it is worth noting that the earnings are expected to fall over the next year, which may not change the long term outlook, but could affect the dividend payment in the next 12 months. All in all, this checks a lot of the boxes we look for when choosing an income stock.
It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. For example, we've identified 3 warning signs for Service Corporation International (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) that you should be aware of before investing. We have also put together a list of global stocks with a solid dividend.
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.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
