Yahoo Finance PCTEL (NASDAQ:PCTI) Has Affirmed Its Dividend Of US$0.055
The board of PCTEL, Inc. (NASDAQ:PCTI) has announced that it will pay a dividend on the 15th of November, with investors receiving US$0.055 per share. Based on this payment, the dividend yield on the company's stock will be 3.7%, which is an attractive boost to shareholder returns.
Check out our latest analysis for PCTEL
PCTEL Is Paying Out More Than It Is Earning
We like to see robust dividend yields, but that doesn't matter if the payment isn't sustainable. Based on the last payment, PCTEL's profits didn't cover the dividend, but the company was generating enough cash instead. Healthy cash flows are always a positive sign, especially when they quite easily cover the dividend.
Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to fall by 4.4% over the next year. If the dividend continues along the path it has been on recently, the company could be paying out more than double what it is earning, which is definitely a bit high to be sustainable going forward.
PCTEL Has A Solid Track Record
The company has been paying a dividend for a long time, and it has been quite stable which gives us confidence in the future dividend potential. Since 2011, the first annual payment was US$0.12, compared to the most recent full-year payment of US$0.22. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 6.2% a year over that time. The dividend has been growing very nicely for a number of years, and has given its shareholders some nice income in their portfolios.
Dividend Growth Could Be Constrained
Investors who have held shares in the company for the past few years will be happy with the dividend income they have received. We are encouraged to see that PCTEL has grown earnings per share at 43% per year over the past five years. EPS has been growing well, but PCTEL has been paying out a massive proportion of its earnings, which can make the dividend tough to maintain.
In Summary
Overall, it's nice to see a consistent dividend payment, but we think that longer term, the current level of payment might be unsustainable. The company is generating plenty of cash, but we still think the dividend is a bit high for comfort. We would be a touch cautious of relying on this stock primarily for the dividend income.
It's important to note that companies having a consistent dividend policy will generate greater investor confidence than those having an erratic one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. As an example, we've identified 2 warning signs for PCTEL that you should be aware of before investing. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high performing dividend stock.
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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