Yahoo Finance Sage Group's (LON:SGE) Dividend Will Be Increased To £0.121
The Sage Group plc (LON:SGE) will increase its dividend on the 10th of February to £0.121, which is 4.0% higher than last year's payment from the same period of £0.116. This takes the dividend yield to 2.3%, which shareholders will be pleased with.
View our latest analysis for Sage Group
Sage Group's Dividend Is Well Covered By Earnings
If the payments aren't sustainable, a high yield for a few years won't matter that much. The last dividend made up a very large portion of earnings and also represented 78% of free cash flows. This is usually an indication that the focus of the company is returning cash to shareholders rather than reinvesting it for growth.
Over the next year, EPS is forecast to expand by 39.6%. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio will be 54%, which is in the range that makes us comfortable with the sustainability of the dividend.
Sage Group 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 2012, the annual payment back then was £0.103, compared to the most recent full-year payment of £0.184. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 6.0% per annum over that time. The growth of the dividend has been pretty reliable, so we think this can offer investors some nice additional income in their portfolio.
The Dividend's Growth Prospects Are Limited
Some investors will be chomping at the bit to buy some of the company's stock based on its dividend history. Sage Group hasn't seen much change in its earnings per share over the last five years. Earnings are not growing quickly at all, and the company is paying out most of its profit as dividends. This isn't the end of the world, but for investors looking for strong dividend growth they may want to look elsewhere.
Our Thoughts On Sage Group's Dividend
Overall, we always like to see the dividend being raised, but we don't think Sage Group will make a great income stock. The low payout ratio is a redeeming feature, but generally we are not too happy with the payments Sage Group has been making. We would probably look elsewhere for an income investment.
Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. However, there are other things to consider for investors when analysing stock performance. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 1 warning sign for Sage Group that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. 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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