Yahoo Finance Hormel Foods' (NYSE:HRL) Dividend Will Be $0.2825
Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL) has announced that it will pay a dividend of $0.2825 per share on the 15th of August. Based on this payment, the dividend yield will be 3.3%, which is fairly typical for the industry.
See our latest analysis for Hormel Foods
Hormel Foods' Payment Has Solid Earnings Coverage
We like a dividend to be consistent over the long term, so checking whether it is sustainable is important. Before this announcement, Hormel Foods was paying out 76% of earnings, but a comparatively small 64% of free cash flows. Since the dividend is just paying out cash to shareholders, we care more about the cash payout ratio from which we can see plenty is being left over for reinvestment in the business.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 33.9% over the next year. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 64%, which would make us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend, despite the levels currently being quite high.
Hormel Foods Has A Solid Track Record
The company has a sustained record of paying dividends with very little fluctuation. Since 2014, the annual payment back then was $0.34, compared to the most recent full-year payment of $1.13. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 13% a year over that time. Rapidly growing dividends for a long time is a very valuable feature for an income stock.
The Dividend's Growth Prospects Are Limited
Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. Unfortunately things aren't as good as they seem. Over the past five years, it looks as though Hormel Foods' EPS has declined at around 4.1% a year. If earnings continue declining, the company may have to make the difficult choice of reducing the dividend or even stopping it completely - the opposite of dividend growth. However, the next year is actually looking up, with earnings set to rise. We would just wait until it becomes a pattern before getting too excited.
Our Thoughts On Hormel Foods' Dividend
Overall, we don't think this company makes a great dividend stock, even though the dividend wasn't cut this year. The company is generating plenty of cash, but we still think the dividend is a bit high for comfort. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.
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. Given that earnings are not growing, the dividend does not look nearly so attractive. Very few businesses see earnings consistently shrink year after year in perpetuity though, and so it might be worth seeing what the 8 analysts we track are forecasting for the future. Is Hormel Foods 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.
