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Dechra Pharmaceuticals (LON:DPH) Will Pay A Larger Dividend Than Last Year At £0.125

The board of Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC (LON:DPH) has announced that the dividend on 13th of April will be increased to £0.125, which will be 4.2% higher than last year's payment of £0.12 which covered the same period. This takes the annual payment to 1.6% of the current stock price, which unfortunately is below what the industry is paying.

See our latest analysis for Dechra Pharmaceuticals

Dechra Pharmaceuticals' Earnings Easily Cover The Distributions

If it is predictable over a long period, even low dividend yields can be attractive. Before making this announcement, the company's dividend was much higher than its earnings. Without profits and cash flows increasing, it would be difficult for the company to continue paying the dividend at this level.

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Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 154.7% over the next year. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 58%, which would make us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend, despite the levels currently being quite high.

historic-dividend
historic-dividend

Dechra Pharmaceuticals Has A Solid Track Record

Even over a long history of paying dividends, the company's distributions have been remarkably stable. Since 2013, the dividend has gone from £0.123 total annually to £0.449. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 14% per annum over that time. Rapidly growing dividends for a long time is a very valuable feature for an income stock.

Dividend Growth Is Doubtful

Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. However, initial appearances might be deceiving. Dechra Pharmaceuticals has seen earnings per share falling at 5.3% per year over the last five years. If the company is making less over time, it naturally follows that it will also have to pay out less in dividends. 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.

The Dividend Could Prove To Be Unreliable

Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think Dechra Pharmaceuticals will make a great income stock. In the past the payments have been stable, but we think the company is paying out too much for this to continue for the long term. We don't think Dechra Pharmaceuticals is a great stock to add to your portfolio if income is your focus.

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. Case in point: We've spotted 3 warning signs for Dechra Pharmaceuticals (of which 1 doesn't sit too well with us!) you should know about. Is Dechra Pharmaceuticals not quite the opportunity you were looking for? Why not check out our selection of top dividend stocks.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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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